Star Ocean: Till the End of Time REMIX!
by Cosmic Decadence
Summary: Latest REMIX: Albel sighed. Perhaps being the youngest captain of one of Airyglyph’s military units had its drawbacks: God forbid if he began to sound like Woltar - old, slow, senile, and wrinkly like a potato. Pairings: FaytxRoger/MeltxLezard/AlbelxRoger
1. Time to Grow Up

**Star Ocean: Till the End of Time [REMIX]**

**Cosmic Decadence**

**Chapter I: Time to Grow Up  
**

Our world has been ripped, forcefully torn by war, its violence and meaningless massacre strewn throughout the continent of Gaitt. Our world has been plunged into hardship, the darkness engulfing the minds and hearts of the uninvolved yet inevitably involved; for war you see, doesn't really give the souls of the innocent much choice. Many said that this violent struggle could have been avoided if one party agreed to a treaty of peace and mutual concessions; many had argued that an outbreak of war was unavoidable between the continent's two strongest powers. However, opinions mattered not in this cruel conflict, in this raging pandemonium. People had to fight, a nation had to be divided, alliances crumbled and loved ones were separated and lost to the uglies of selfish and senseless fighting.

This land had fallen to greed.

The City of Aquios was located in the continent's northern region, the pride and joy, the capital of the Kingdom Aquaria, home to her majesty Romera and the church of Apris. This kingdom served as the home for the largest, most advanced runological lab in the sovereignty as well as the Great Temple of Apris, a sacred site for devout pilgrims. There lived peaceful folk, humble in worship and surrounded and protected by the land's beauty and prosperity, its defenders, and the all omniscient presence of their Lord Apris.

As opposed to this prosperous and holy land, high up in the snowy mountains' fortress, stood the Royal City of Airyglyph, the center of government for the Kingdom of Airyglyph, and home to his majesty Arzei. In this cold and frigid climate, resided great legendary beings called Air Dragons, safely and warmly nestled within castle walls, breeding, breathing, accumulating.

Airyglyph was ready for war.

Airyglyph was jealous and immensely frustrated by the unfairness of it all, driven on by an invisible entity called desperation. Airyglyph wanted Aquaria lands, its prosperity, its bountiful and ever-flowing wealth because you see, its people were suffering. The rich became poor and the poor became even poorer; the satisfied grew hungry and the hungry starved; the cold was killing its populace gravely by huge numbers. So was the unfortunate situation which befell this wintry kingdom, escalating significantly in the preparation of war. Airyglyph demanded the holy lands, wanted, needed to feed its people, strived for total territorial dominance, but were strongly opposed by the Aquarians. Aquaria claimed that Apris had blessed their lands and that this blessing, this privilege was beholden to no one but the almighty's followers alone. Their defiance however, only proved to make the already strained situation worse.

Both parties couldn't see eye to eye. Calm reasoning were reaching its limits, fierce disagreements turned to international disputes, and disputes evolved to physical and intentional acts of violence between the two sides, until the possible idea of truce could no longer be reached. Airyglyph readied their units: The Dragon Brigade lead by Lord Vox, The Storm Brigade led by Count Waltar, and The Black Brigade led by the notorious Albel Nox; all of which were fearful and formidable opponents. In response to that, Aquaria dispatched their troops: The Aquaria Runological Unit led by Clair Lasband, The Aquaria Army, and The Secret Legion led by Lady Nel of the Crimson Blade; yours truly.

After the Aquor-Greeton war, it is truly unfortunate that we are left to the same fate. Gaitt's peace was threatened once more; yet another war was afoot.

Our world had never been so bleak, torn by the actions, the hands of humanity. This was not the time for cowardice, not a single man retreats, least we suffer from the weight of an utter humiliating defeat. This was a turning point in our lives, this was where animosity took the place of gaiety and blitheness, this was when we had to put the past behind us and learn to be strong, and this was when the youthful displays of imaginative heroism had to come to an end. We were fighting a real battle of survival, not re-enacting the life and times of Robin Hood and his band of merry men; time to put those wooden swords away and pick a better poison, a more reliable compadre.

The gravel beneath my feet shifted, my footsteps fell to a reluctant drag. The Lost City of Surferio was fast approaching and it pained me, tugged at my heart-strings that this inevitable farewell had to take place. It was much too soon for my liking.

Nevelle Zelpher, chief intelligence officer of Aquaria long past, a great leader, a formidable combatant, and also my father. Killed in action, he passed this position down to me and somehow, I'll be lying if I said that I didn't expect the possibility of a similar fate. I didn't want those children to be involved more than they already were, whether they knew it or not.

Today would be our last adventure; today would be their first passage into maturity and the reality of a world's cruel spite; today they will learn to be real men. Gone were the moments of heart-felt merriment; gone were the days when I participated in their fantasy realm of heroic antics, watched them grow.

"Nel! Nel! Hey guys! Nel's here!"

I distinctively heard they jubilant cry of one of my fellow "heroes", unable to help the smile which graced my lips as he was soon followed by his gang of five. He scurried over as fast as his short legs could carry him, stumbling over once in a while and occasionally blinded by his helmet which looked twice the size of his head. The young Menodix tripped and fell forward with an unceremonious "Oof!", only to rise quickly to grin up at me.

"Nel! Nel! Nel!"

I offered him a warm smile, kneeling down to their eye levels. They had all come and were as ready and eager as always: Lucien, Vellion, Dribe, Lezard, Melt, and Roger. I patted the youngest of the lot on the head.

"Hello, boys, ready for another exciting adventure?"

Choruses of "Yeah!" resounded from the little mischief-makers as they reached for their respective weapons. I watched them with a lingering twinge of regret, hating the prospect of war more and more.

There was a heightening doubt on my part of revealing the whole truth to them; I couldn't bear to.

I still wanted to continue my position as "Lieutenant Nel", I still wanted to explore Lezard's potential in alchemy, wished to teach Melt so much more in the art of Runology, longed to continue coaching Lucien, Dribe and Vellion in the field of defense and combat, but more than anything else, I pleaded with Apris to extend my time here just a little longer to aid Roger in getting his "healing" abilities right. For some strange hidden agenda, there seemed to be rumors going around that the civilians would flee by the mere mention of the word "healing", especially when it was associated with the name "Roger S. Huxley".

I continued to pat his head fondly.

I loved them all from the bottom of my heart, had always and will always do, but was there anything wrong in having a particular favorite?

"Aw, Nel! Quit it would ya?"

"You're a man; you can take it!"

They laughed as I smiled, but the more I smiled the more empty I felt on the inside, and I wondered if this was how a mother felt as she watches her children grow up and slowly begin to leave her.

It dawned on me there and then: this would be the last time I would ever see these children again.

-0-0-0-

"So, what're we gonna do today, Lucien?" came the slow and ever hesitant drawl from the portly humanoid called Vellion, stubby fingers fidgeting every now and then in uncertainty.

The boy in question crossed his arms in his typical all-superior fashion, a wide and cocky grin crawling over his features. Lucien, the eldest of the group, turned to regard his eager companions, save Roger who merely pouted in displeasure. He huffed as Lucien began to give a long speech on the wonders of heroism; tales of valiant heroes who had slayed countless of monsters and a vivid elaboration on today's agenda as well as what was to be accomplished. Soon, Lucien began distributing the roles of each member in their little party, leaving Roger, to the horror of all horrors, as nothing but a look-out.

Nel was always their second-in-command, that much had been established long ago due her astounding fighting grace and keen precision in executing attacks, however, this unsettled him, rattled him beyond compare. Ever since Lucien had turned the big 13, his attitude had never been more aggravating, never more intolerable, like a splinter lodged in one's foot. In addition, the others always went along so readily with his plans, including Melt and Lezard, the apparently "judgmental" and "mature" ones.

What did Lucien have that he didn't?

"And that's why we're gonna go to the Passage from Parch to Plenty to see who's the bigger man --- no offense to ya, Nel!" Lucien concluded as the Aquarian shrugged.

"The Passage from Parch to Plenty, you say? My, that is interesting, not to mention formidable," said Melt, mostly to himself as he contemplated the fascinating proposal. Apparently he wasn't the only one who thought so.

"Heh, a test of endurance and courage you say?" Lezard hummed, pushing his large spectacles up the bridge of his nose. "Well then, I'm not stopping you. Of course, if you give me a few hours to prepare, I should have enough time to concoct a new batch of elixirs for the trip."

Melt nodded in agreement.

"Yes, yes, and this would also be an opportune moment for me to exercise my newly acquired skills –Nel smiled proudly- What say you, Dribe?"

"Are ya crazy?!" The little fox boy barked.

"It's daaaaaaaaangerous!"

Apparently, Dribe's sudden exclamation seemed to have knocked some sense into Vellion's more often than not sluggish mind. The boy's eyes widened, echoing his friend's fear in sputters. Nel immediately crouched down to make sure he didn't pass out from the prospect of it all, face and voice laced with concern as she gently relayed to him that he could sit this one out if he wasn't feeling up to it. Roger did nothing but approach Dribe to give him a good smack at the back of his head.

"Grr, you gutless wonder! Of course it's dangerous, all adventures' gotta be dangerous otherwise where would all the fun be?"

"But there are monsters in there and did I mention I haaaaaaaaate danger?!"

"You idiot! Don't go announcing stuff like that; where's your manly pride?!"

"That's enough you two," Nel intervened, folding her arms as she looked them down in mock sternness.

"Roger, don't go forcing Dribe into something he's not comfortable with; that in turn isn't exactly very manly, understand? We're all friends here, aspiring heroes of the intangible future; I thought you would've understood everyone's feelings by now. You don't see Lucien criticizing other's short-comings, do you?"

In the background, said boy was grinning away, enjoying the sight of his rival being lectured by the older female. He shook his head. When would Roger ever learn that the key principle of being a real man was to simply grow up?

"No, m'am," Roger said softly, lowering his gaze to the ground. His ears drooped.

He never liked this kind of attention from Nel. Sure, he admired her greatly like everyone else, but he felt more than noticed that she had been constantly breathing down his neck these past few weeks, admonishing him for the slightest of mistakes and pushing him thoroughly on every mission. Oh no, she treated him kindly, as fondly as any mother, but she seemed to be particularly over-protective of him, constantly fussing over him more than the others and it wasn't because he was the youngest. Somehow it unnerved him; it was almost as if she didn't trust him, but could that really be the reason or was there something else concealed beneath the serenity of her smiles?

Nel smiled and placed her hands on her hips, turning to look at Lucien who had been rather quiet throughout this whole exchange. As she looked him over, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride over-whelm her being as she took in his maturing, self-confident disposition; how had he grown.

Lucien turned to look at her, his characteristic smirk never once leaving his features.

"Lieutenant Nel, the report."

"Ah yes," she saluted.

"Agent Melt and Agent Lezard have left in preparation for the trip, stocking up on items and concocting new spells. Agent Vellion and Agent Dribe will be joining us on this journey with confident hearts, and Agent Ro-"

"Come on, Nel! Ya know I can be as good a captain as Lucien, maybe even better!" Roger interjected as he tugged at the end of the red head's skirt.

"Lemme be captain for this mission, please? And why does Lucien always get to decide what we're gonna do, huh? I'm Sir Roger, this party's true and dashing leader! Don't I get a say in anything?"

"Bah, you, leader? Don't make me laugh!" Lucien mocked, leering.

"I'm twice the man you'd ever be, plus I'm older!"

"What?! What does that haf'ta do with being a real man, Lucien?!"

"Er, I don't know, probably the part where one--- grows up?!"

"Why you---!"

"Alright you two, break it up!" Nel immediately placed herself between the two childhood rivals, forcing them apart before anything serious could really occur. As the two struggled for freedom and dominance, the female sighed and shook her had tersely. Perhaps she had gotten more than she'd ever bargained for when associating with these vivacious juveniles.

"Honestly, I thought you had more self-control than that, Lucien. Anyway, we'll see you and the rest at the entrance of the Passage from Parch to Plenty…" She sighed and turned to face the younger boy.

"As for you Roger, may I speak with you alone? I have some imperative issues I'd like to discuss."

Wide amber met narrowed emerald and Roger gulped audibly, not exactly taking any fancy towards this sudden turn of events. A thousand and one questions fleeted through his befuddled brain, many of which were centered on the thought of possible trouble or facing the wrath of his not-so-secret aficionada; and the one thing he'd learnt from life was this: never entertain a female's wrath unless one wished to experience excruciating vengeance from said woman's blades of glory and justice.

"Y-Yes, m'am," the young boy stuttered, padding obediently after the Crimson Blade spy, glaring over his shoulder once in a while at his rival. Oh how he longed to wipe that cocky grin off Lucien's face once and for all. He'd show him; one day.

Upon arriving at the small patch of grass in the middle of the village, Nel sat herself comfortably underneath the shade of a tree, patting the spot next to her as she beckoned Roger over. He wasted no time in scurrying over, doing his best to appear at ease but failing miserably.

"A-Am I in trouble or something…? You seem pretty upset, Nel."

Nel regarded him with an unreadable expression before reaching out to wrap an arm around the Menodix's shoulders, before resting her cheek against the surface of his helmet. Roger blushed from Nel's rather uncharacteristic behavior, not exactly comfortable with the close proximity but not disliking it altogether. He was about to question her actions but was halted in mid-thought when he heard the female exhale a grave sigh.

"No Roger, I'm not mad; it's just…"Nel trailed off, not sure how to go about explaining her situation to him. Roger squirmed slightly in her grip; something was definitely not right.

A stagnant pause punctuated the still afternoon air, the only sounds being the resounding flow of water and the chirping of crickets. Nel cleared her throat, deciding to address the matter from a different angle.

"Well, what makes you say that?"

"Nel, what's going on?" Roger began, thinking things through before regarding the Aquarian with a determined expression.

"You've been behaving awfully strange, since last week actually--- it's not like you to be so…cold."

Now, this revelation greatly surprised Nel , so she chose to remain silent, interested in Roger's views and ability to somewhat grasp the current situation, to sense that something was not quite right. Roger picked up from where he left off.

"Nel, ya kinda stopped laughing; when we're usually on our adventures, you'd always laugh and tease us earnestly, poke fun at our antics, and you'd always seem so relaxed and at one with yourself, one of us, but… I noticed that ya stopped doing so."

Roger paused to pick at a blade of grass. Bringing it up to his lips, he blew gently against it, producing the faintest of whistles, before lowering his hand. He sighed, heart heavy.

"Oh, you smile and participate in our fun and games, our countless of dares and extremities, but that's about it. You don't really seem so into it anymore and the guys and I kinda feel that we're starting to bore you."

"Roger…"

Nel gazed down at the boy, remorse and disinclination shooting through her veins, tugging relentlessly at her heart-strings. This wasn't it, wasn't her reason at all; not by a long-shot. She only wished she could explain, relay to him the dire situation at hand, but was all the more unwilling. She didn't want him involved; she didn't want the boys involved, but she knew that keeping the truth from them had its consequences and more often than not, those consequences had their repercussions.

It seemed that Roger wasn't quite done with his comments, persisting on.

"And it's not just that either; you've been distant, 'specially ta' me, what with ya' breathing down my neck and all. Whatever I do just doesn't seem to be good enough, but whatever the others do –especially Lucien- is always better than whatever I can accomplish. It's just that you have so much faith and trust in Melt and the others, but not me--- why?"

Nel gathered the small child in her arms, hugging him close as she thought over her subsequent words. She patted his back in a silent lull, debating before finally giving into the inevitable. Oh well, no time like the present she guessed.

"Roger, I have to tell you something and… I can't guarantee that you'd like what you're about to hear."

Roger shifted in her arms.

"I'm sure you're well aware of the dispute raging on between Airyglyph and Aquaria, as well as their strained relationship. The countless of discussions, the idea of negotiation, were all long ago abandoned as they were deemed futile, leaving us with little choice but to engage them in our own terms."

"Apparently, Airyglyph had been preparing their conquest over Aquaria for some time now, readying their fleet of men and beasts alike. Airyglyph's cavalry, the Storm Brigade, their heavy cavalry, the Black Brigade, and even the fearsome and ruthless Dragon Brigade--- all units would be participating in this… international dispute."

"You mean--- No, Nel, you don't mean…" Roger trailed off, disbelieving, but upon the older woman's silence, knew that he had little choice but to believe.

"Yes, that's what it means, exactly. With such strong militia threatening the peace of Aquarian borders, under the command of her majesty, Aquarian troops have been dispatched as well to see to this war's end, with our side emerging victorious of course. I was issued the task of being Aquaria's eyes and ears in Glyphian territory; her majesty's official spy."

"But that's a risk barely anyone would wish to take upon themselves," Roger exclaimed, desperately trying to talk some sense into the hard-willed Aquarian.

"It's dangerous relaying information back and forth between the two regions! What if you get caught? I'm pretty sure Airyglyph terms would resort to anything but leniency--- Nel, not to sound pessimistic but you may never make it… back—unless…" Roger gasped when Nel nodded her head slowly.

"You can't be serious?! Nel, you can't just throw away your life like that; it's suicide! Everyone's entitled to their own life; you can't just throw away something as valuable as that!"

"I'm not going to do that, Roger!" Nel shouted, surprising them both from her sudden outburst.

"I'm not…"

She bit her lip, eyebrows narrowing as she clenched and unclenched her fists. She diverted her gaze away from the prying eyes of vivacious amber.

"Do you think I don't regret this war, the uncontrollable suffering that would eventually follow?! Would you rather we surrender to the enemy like lambs to a slaughter? I don't want to die as much as the next person, but it's not something I can ignore! I'm doing this for my people, her majesty, my subordinates, my friends, and especially for you children."

"You, all of you, have a future to look forward to and who am I to deprive you of such opportunities? Throwing my life away that I may be doing, but throwing my life away for the cause of saving countless of others is in itself, something worth living for."

"But—" Roger cut in, but was silenced by a single finger placed on his lips. Nel smiled one of those smiles, the kind that spoke of volumes and endless compassion which words itself couldn't seem to express. She hushed Roger gently.

"As for the answer to your next question, it's simple enough: I love you. I want the best in you Roger, along with the rest of your friends. I push you, push you harder and beyond your current abilities, but that's because I can see so much more potential hidden within you, more than you're letting on. I'm less hard on Melt and Lezard since there's clearly nothing left for me to educate them on -they're that superior- however, I've yet to see the true capability of your skills, Roger."

"Your combat skills rival that of Lucien's, your decisive and out-going nature far surpasses that of any other, that I can assure you -I'm not comparing your healing capabilities to that of Melt's- but I'm still waiting. I want to see you truly grow and surpass the shadow of your past self, to gradually develop into a real man… Roger, do you know what really makes a man, a real man?"

When Roger shook his head in response to her question, Nel leaned her back against the trunk of the tree, bringing Roger along with her. They sat there completely at ease, enjoying each other's presence. She patted his back affectionately.

"A real man is not judged by the skills of combat, experience, clothes, background, age, or even their physique. A real man is not just a figure-head, or someone who constantly orders others around to do their bidding, having people or underlings at their beck and call. It's not the muscles or the constant need to prove oneself that makes one a real man, but the inner reality of your character, what you stand for."

"What I stand for…?" Roger echoed, not entirely comprehending.

"Yes, what you stand for," Nel repeated.

"A real man would be willing to put aside his goals for the sake of aiding those in need; passing up temporary glory for eternal glory. A real man would always be true to his companions and to himself. A real man wouldn't run in the face of danger but face it head on, despite the probable consequences which may follow. Not all battles can be won, but to conquer the fear of defeat and 'not trying' is in itself a battle already valiantly won."

"A real man is not considered weak to have feelings of care and concern towards others; in fact, these feelings would only make him stronger because he has someone to protect, someone worth fighting for to the bitter end. This is what makes a man a real man… Do you understand now, Roger?"

Roger paused, allowing his brain to process this new-found knowledge. Nel had passed on her wisdom to him –not the others- indirectly hinting the challenges he'd have to face in the long-run, preparing him for change. Nel wouldn't be around to pick up after them anymore and like it or not, he admitted that there was some truth in Lucien's statement on 'growing up' but…

'A real man would always be true to his companions and to himself,' Nel had said, so changing now for the sake of it all would just be betraying his own moral up-bringing. Besides, if Nel wanted him to change, she would have said so earlier. She liked him just the way he was; he liked him just the way he was.

"Yeah, I do. Thanks, Nel, and… I'm really gonna miss ya, and so would the others."

"As I you, Roger, as I you…"

Nel released Roger and rose, dusting herself off. They regarded each other for a moment, before the usual mischievous grin was back on the young boy's face. Roger crossed his arms as he nodded in the direction of the Passage from Parch to Plenty.

"We'd best hurry and make our move! The guys' ought to be there by now!" He turned to Nel and smiled softly.

"Ready for one last mission, Nel?"

Nel laughed and saluted in a playful fashion.

"Lieutenant Nel reporting for duty, sir!"

-0-0-0-

"Heh, took ya long enough," said Lucien, his hand positioned at the hilt of his sword, at ready.

The group of young humanoids turned to stare at the duo who were currently approaching the cave's entrance. Roger waved enthusiastically at his friends as he jogged over, being as loud and jubilant as ever, much to Lucien and Lezard's annoyance.

"Ah, Roger, it is nice to see that you have finally made it to partake in our latest challenge," Melt greeted his best friend, tone soothing and mysterious all the same. In his hands gripped his choice weapon: a broomstick.

Roger returned the greeting as Lezard began distributing the elixirs around.

"Melt and I have managed to compound only a small amount of Fruity Potions in our given time frame, so I strongly advise you guys to use them wisely."

Lezard pushed up his glasses before handing Roger his axe, expression smug.

"I've also created a few Mythril Stones and synthesized them with your weapons. This should give them the desirable increased attacking factor."

Nel's eyes sparkled, wholly impressed. Lezard had indeed come a long way; he had really outdone himself this time. Offering Lezard a casual thanks in return, Roger accepted his newly beefed up weapon with great zeal, before making a mad dash towards the depths of the cavern.

Dribe sighed and shook his head in exasperation. His friend ought to do something about his impulsive behavior. If Roger wasn't careful, that very behavior could eventually lead to undesirable outcomes in the future, that he was certain. It was never a good thing to throw caution and logical sense to the wind.

The remaining members were about to enter, but were stopped by Nel. Her eyes shifted ever so slightly. The boys gave her inquisitive stares.

"What is it, Nel? Is something bothering you?" Vellion ventured, speaking everyone's minds.

That was all Nel could take before she launched into her tale once more, with waves upon waves of turmoil and sorrow crashing mercilessly against her already pained heart. The boys were crest-fallen, not knowing what to say much less make out of this. It was Lucien who broke the silence.

"We're all gonna miss ya, Nel, and… our time is short."

He reached out and grabbed Nel's wrist as he grinned up at her, his smile full of genuine sincerity.

"So, let's make this last mission the best one you've ever had, one which you'd always remember!"

Lucien tugged the Crimson Blade operative towards the gaping hole of the cave's entrance, laughing along with the others. As Nel allowed herself to be dragged in, she couldn't help but put her two fols worth of laughter in as well.

This was yet another reason to end this war because by the love of Apris, she was going to do all it took to end this senseless violence, to return home alive.

-0-0-0-

Upon entering the midnight caverns, Nel had split the party into two groups, commencing an entirely new challenge which did nothing but leave the young boys tingling with excitement. She had termed it as a "Real Man" contest, a competition pitting individual strengths and proficiencies of each group against the other. The rules were simple enough: There was to be two teams and each team would appoint a leader, which in this case was Lucien for his team consisting of Lezard and Vellion, and Roger for his team consisting of Melt and Dribe. The teams would be given a challenge and they were to complete the task within the given time frame. There was to be no foul-play otherwise that team would be disqualified and since it was a competition, the team who completes the given task first, wins. Nel had the role of being the two team's liaison, checking up on them once in a while to see if any required her assistance.

"Alright, boys, got the rules so far?" Nel clarified, crossing her arms. The children nodded their heads vigorously.

"Right, here's the challenge; listen carefully because I won't repeat it: Deep within the caverns of the Passage from Parch to Plenty lies the beast known as the 'Dark Hunter', a human-like bird creature of great majesty. This bird rests at the hour of sunset. You have until the sun completely sets beneath the horizon to take a single tail feather and hand it to me. You may either wait until the bird is totally asleep or fight it head-on in means of obtaining that feather, but remember this: you are competing for the position of 'winner', which means that you have to be fast or your efforts would be meaningless."

Lucien snorted and eyed Roger from the corner of his eye. This would seriously be too easy! He along with everyone else knew exactly how impatient the young Menodix was, what with his spontaneous mannerisms and inability to access the situation well enough before going in for the kill. To put it simply, Roger was the kind of guy who would follow his emotions before using his head. He on the other hand, had his brother and Vellion on his side –the thinkers- so he was mighty confident he could figure something out. He would not lose to Roger , sorry excuse of a man, and prove to everyone especially Nel, that he, Lucien, was the better man.

"'That's all? Hah, mere child's play!" Lucien snorted, drawing his sword. Lezard snickered along with him.

"This should prove simple enough," said Lezard, all confident.

"Everyone knows that the 'Dark Hunter' is a dangerous creature and definitely not one to be trifled with. Going against it in battle would be mere suicide, so the best option is to of course knock it out when it's drowsy from fatigue, and then claim the tail feather." He paused to smirk at the opposing team.

"Even Melt knows this, but with Roger as his captain and Dribe as a party member, they're doomed. Melt's too soft and would always hold Roger in high regard for reasons I fail to comprehend. It's safe to say that they'll follow his plan, which would consist of full-out assault; the probability of that is a good 93.78%."

Vellion watched his teammates criticize the others' short-comings, twiddling his fingers. Somehow, he had a bad feeling about this whole competition. He was never the aggressive type; strong, yes, but he preferred engaging himself in intellectual pastimes than physical challenges like this. So, he wondered what exactly possessed him into agreeing to this in the first place… it was probably peer pressure.

"Aren't you going to make your move?" Nel questioned the three of them, as she indicated towards Roger's team who had already proceeded deep within the cave.

Vellion shrugged.

"I don't know… Lucien told us to wait here and see what happens, so… we wait."

"You're giving up?"

Lucien shook his head, smirking. He inclined his head to regard the female Aquarian.

"On the contrary, Nel, we're just waiting for the right moment. We're not idiots and even you know that none of us would be able to defeat even one of those Dark Hunters, what with our current level of experience. Lezard had this cave speculated way before the start of this competition and we already know the location of those creatures, so all we have to do is wait a little closer to sunset and we've got this one in the bag!"

"And Roger…?"

Lezard chuckled, haughty.

"Heh, that fool's probably thinking that if he gets to the feather first, he wins, but we're practical people; we do our best to avoid all possible means of a hassle."

Nel diverted her gaze down the path in the direction Roger, Dribe and Melt left in and couldn't help but feel gravely concerned. She had to give Lucien's team some credit; they'd certainly come prepared and knew exactly what to do, planned every waking minute to claim their victory. Lezard's evaluation of the situation and Roger's character couldn't have been more accurate, and that was what worried her.

-0-0-0-

"Hey, Roger, are ya sure you know where we're going?"

Dribe called out in the darkness, his little ears twitching every now and then as he picked up the faintest traces of noise from the gaping abyss about them. Being humanoids, their senses were highly potent thus giving them an advantage over such situations. The lack of light didn't bother them much, not unless you were a little fox humanoid with a whiny and cowardly nature, also known as Dribe; the poor boy was utterly terrified of the dark.

"R-Roger?!"

"Aw, shut up ya moron," came said boy's impatient drawl.

"Real men aren't afraid of nothing, 'especially not the dark! So, quit being such a chicken and suck it in man!"

Dribe pouted, glaring daggers at the back of Roger's head as the young one proceeded on, oblivious. Melt sighed and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, squeezing it in assurance. He urged Dribe on.

"Dribe, Roger has a point you know? If you continue to speak so loudly, you may just attract unwanted company. The guys, Nel and us, aren't the only ones here as I'm sure you're well aware of. Remember, our plan was to be as silent as possible, so we can sneak up on the beast and obtain the feather without any unnecessary disturbances."

Dribe groaned and slumped over, ears flattening against his skull in defeat.

"Yeah, yeah, I know… sorry."

The trio trudged on, fending off nocturnal species and dodging falling boulders, until they chanced upon a split road. There, they halted, pondering over their next move. Were they to go through the straight and narrow left, or the wide and winding right?

"So, what do you think, Melt? Which way should we go?" Roger asked as he turned to face his best friend, arms crossed behind his head in a casual stance.

The wise one pondered; he closed his eyes, meditating, foreseeing, sensing, and feeling. He opened them once more. With the aid of his broomstick, he indicated towards the right.

"Down the winding corridor of darkness lie treacherous obstacles ahead, paved with peril and smoothened with rough. Amidst the shadows, there dwells the sacred beast, guarded and safe out of harm's reach."

He pointed to the path on the left.

"Deep within the seemingly uneventful tunnel, rests the creature of darkness and despair, blithe and ultimately unaware. If it is instant glory which you seek, then follow this path of the straight and narrow to reach its peak."

"Hmm…" Roger hummed, contemplating.

This was an ultimately difficult decision to make, not to mention wholly oxymoronic. Who'd ever heard of obtaining 'instant glory' from merely doing the right thing by going down the 'path of the straight and narrow'? Nothing could ever be 'instant' in this world, even if one did a thousand and one good deeds in their lifetime. In addition, Melt said 'seemingly uneventful' which meant that the journey ahead would probably be indistinct; who knew what sorts of danger lay ahead? At least a clearer picture was depicted by the pathway on the right. Roger nodded his head, affirmative; it was decided.

"We're going to the one on the right."

"WHAT?!"

All eyes turned to regard the startled Foxtail, brows quirked in a questionable fashion. Roger and Melt remained silent, awaiting the ever familiar complaints from their heroically-challenged companion. Dribe grasped the material of his shirt, tight, and toed the ground; his stance faltered.

"Are ya crazy?! Didn't you hear what Melt prophesized?! He said 'treacherous obstacles'… no, I'm not going. You two can handle this one by yourselves. I'm outta' here---!"

"For crying out loud, Dribe, where's your sense of adventure?!" Roger cut in, making a grab for Dribe's shoulder, tugging the older boy back just when he was about to flee from utter terror.

"Look, all we have to do is get that feather and we're as good as gone. Melt said that there would be a few roughs ahead but at least we know what to expect right? If we go down the other pathway, who knows what kind of danger lurks within! Besides, we're trained fighters and we have each other, so what's there to fear?"

Roger punched Dribe playfully in the arm.

"Don't worry Dribe, I always got your back!"

Dribe couldn't help but smile at that. Up until this very moment, Roger hadn't given up on him and continued to urge him on, giving him a hundred and ten percent of his unrelenting support. It never ceased to amaze him, touch him that the boy hadn't lost patience with him and just throw him aside without so much as any regard towards him. No, Roger wasn't like that. He never realized how fortunate it was for him to have such a loyal comrade.

"Oh, alright," he gave in, "But if I don't like it, we're leaving ya hear?"

Melt smiled as Roger laughed and waved him off.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever--- now hurry up would ya? You guys are such slow pokes!"

With their weapons at ready, the party of three experienced no problems in challenging the cavern's deathly booby-traps of natural adversities. Apart from a few accomplished young mages who dwelled deep within the caverns, the rest of their adversaries had been mainly small-fry. Rounds of spell-casting, slaying, and trouncing, found the trio in the middle of the Dark Hunters' nesting grounds.

Roger, Melt and Dribe stood stark rigid, daring not to so much as breathe within the stifling confines of this monster-inhibited territory.

Great tufts of dully tinted feathers rose and fell as the creatures slept on, oblivious to the arrival of the three newcomers. Melt and Dribe wasted no time in shoving their leader forward, directly towards the biggest nest of this empire; it was undoubtedly alpha male quarters. Roger held back a startled cry as he whirled around to glare at his so-called friends. That only earned him wide grins and enthusiastic waves on their part.

"Fear not, Roger," whispered Melt.

"Yeah, we're right behind you," added Dribe.

Roger pouted when he distinctively spied them backing away ever so discretely. He rolled his eyes and pushed forward.

'Thanks a lot you guys,' he thought sarcastically.

Maneuvering his way through the sea of feathers, Roger ignored the lesser members of the clan and instead, set his sights on the slumbering ruler. Upon realizing what the younger male was up to, Melt's eyes widened, immediately stepping forward.

"Roger, what in the world are you doing?!" he hissed.

"Just pick the tail feather from one of these closer to the cave's exit! That way, it'll be easier for us to make a run for it if they awaken. Haven't we already discussed this?"

"Relax, Melt," Roger brushed him off, leaning over the nest's edge as he reached for the Dark Hunter's tail.

"I'll just quickly pluck a feather and we'll be out of here before this dumb bird knows what hit him. Plus, I wanna beat Lucien! This dumb bird's the king of the lot so it's only logical that its feather is bigger and better than the rest!"

"R-Roger, maybe you shouldn't…"

"Watcha' talking about, Dribe? Of course I should! I'm not gonna let mister high-and-mighty win this one, not in a long shot!"

Roger plucked a feather and pocketed it, blissfully unaware of the shifting mass of feathers behind him.

'Hah! Take that, Lucien!' he thought smugly to himself.

"R-R-Roger…?!"

"What now, Dribe?"

"B-B-B-B-… B-B-B-Be-…"

Roger frowned, twitching his ears.

"Sorry, pal, but ya gotta speak louder than that. I can't hear a thing you're say-"

"Thunder Flare!"

Before the great beast could strike, static electricity crackled from the ends of Melt's broomstick, before shooting forward to engulf its target. Roger gasped and leapt off his perch, getting into a fighting stance alongside Dribe who had already drawn his sword. Melt raised his broomstick high above his head; alluring blue spectrums of light danced around him as the winds picked up.

"Down, feast on roaring thunder; trapped in my lightning prison!"

The Dark Hunter screeched in agony as wave after wave of electric pulses surged through its being. Soon, the spell had begun to wear off, dissipating and reducing the poor creature to a motionless mass of feathers, twitching muscles, ruptured bones.

"Thanks for the back up, Melt," said Roger. "I owe you one."

"No thanks is needed, my friend," came Melt's hushed reply, as he panted slightly, regaining his strength. "However, that was the least of our worries. We best get going before--"

"Guys, I hate to be a party-pooper, but I think we have a problem…"

Fury-induced screeches pervaded the air, reverberating throughout the still silence of the monster's lair. Nests rustled, wings and feathers beat, and piercing orbs of vermilion shot open as the entire tribe of vicious human-bird hybrids roused from their slumber. With an effortless beat of their wings, they took flight, circling the three foreign entities, disapproving. Roger, Dribe and Melt got into their defensive positions, back to back.

"Great going, Roger; now you've gone and made them mad," Dribe hissed, glaring daggers at his leader.

"Shut up, Dribe! Now's not the time to be pointing fingers at each other! We can worry about faults later; right now, we've gotta take care of these pests!"

"Right!"

Roger ghosted the tips of his fingers over his blade's edge.

"Fiery Axe," he whispered, feeling his skin prickle with the barest of heat. The blade of his axe began to glow an angry red with traces of hot stream emitting from it. He raised it above his head and cried out his attack, lunging forward.

"I'm gonna cut ya down!"

There was a loud explosion, sending shockwaves throughout the premises, loosening rocky structures and sending a small group of Dark Hunters crashing head first into the ground. Before they could recover from the attack, Dribe charged forward, plunging his sword deep into the ground, and twisting it in a motion of a key unlocking a lock.

"Earthly Ripple!"

The floor split open, the crack stretching, growing in length as the rocks and soil parted, and leaving a gaping hellhole in its wake. The creatures shrieked, caught unaware and unable to retaliate as they plummeted into the seemingly endless pit-fall.

Enraged by the sight of their entourage getting slaughtered by numbers, the remaining monsters called for reinforcements, throwing their heads back and singing for all they were worth.

More screeching followed after that, echoing, seemingly doubled. The winds in the cave picked up once more, twice as more powerful as dust and debris rose in clouds, temporarily blinding the young heroes. The boys coughed and gasped, rubbing at their eyes and fighting to reclaim the amount of oxygen they had lost in that split second.

"This is bad, guys," spoke Roger, quickly accessing the situation.

They were out-numbered by about a hundred to three; no matter how they looked at it, the chances of them coming out of this battle unscathed were about close to nothing. They didn't need luck in such hectic circumstances; they needed a miracle.

"Ya think?!" Dribe bit out, fending off an oncoming monster by striking it on the cranium.

"Argh, it's no use! They just keep on coming!"

"If you can hear this voice from the depths of the underworld, then come; come forth and aid your master!" Melt thrust his broomstick outwards, eyes narrowed in concentration as he focused on his summon.

"I release you from your fiery prison! Rise, rise, rise! I summon you, Efreet!"

The flaming warrior materialized before their eyes, leaping into the air and bringing down its blade of fiery inferno onto its unsuspecting victims. Melt's attack managed to knock them out momentarily, but it was far from enough. With the party of three split up and currently preoccupied with defending their own territories, no one was left to accommodate for the position of defense. Melt's summon left him wide open for attack, and attack the enemy did, charging forwards and smashing the young boy's skull hard against rocky, jagged walls.

"Gah!" Melt gasped, having the wind knocked out of him from the sudden and brutal force. The amount of spell-casting and summons finally took its toll on him and he slowly slid down the wall, unconscious.

"Melt!"

Distracted, Roger failed to sense the looming presence behind him until it was too late. Something clawed harshly at his back, ripping fabric and tender skin, the blood coming out in rivulets as it slowly began to stain the material of his deep green shirt. Another one of the monsters had managed to knock his axe out of his grasp, sending it flying towards the other end of the battle ground. Soon, Roger found himself being shoved backwards, crying out as his wounds made contact with the uneven stone flooring beneath, digging rocks.

Dribe had been pinned down, Dark Hunters were advancing on the unconscious Melt and in his current futile position, Roger did the only thing he was capable of pulling off: he screamed.

-0-0-0-

"Hey, did you hear something?"

"Hear what?"

Lucien's ears twitched once more, confirming his suspicions. His eyes widened from the sheer incredulity of it all. It couldn't be; that little brat couldn't be in danger, could he? He wouldn't permit himself to believe so, but there was no doubt that that pained cry came from none other than Roger himself. His hand traveled to the hilt of his sword; he had a bad feeling about this.

Lezard was growing impatient.

"Lucien, what in the world's up with you?"

"He's in trouble."

"I beg your pardon?"

Lucien ignored his brother and turned to face Nel, who only nodded in response. Soon, she was off, dashing towards the path Roger and his group took with Lucien following closely behind. Vellion and Lezard looked at each other, confused expressions donning their features as they shrugged.

"L-Lezard, I don't like this… What's going on?"

Lezard frowned, eyes narrowing.

"It looks like we have little choice but to see for ourselves."

The duo took off and it didn't take them long to catch up to the others. Lezard turned to glare irritably at his brother.

"Lucien, you better tell me what's going on this instant or so help me, I'll---"

His words were cut off when they arrived at the battle ground. The party of four gazed out in horrific silence as they took in the scene before them. The blood of humanoid children splayed over the ground, dying the soil and rocky walls a shade of crimson bloom. In the far corner of the area crouched Dribe and Roger, shielding their fallen comrade from the entities which surrounded them. Melt was unconscious, Dribe was beyond exhausted, and Roger struggled to maintain consciousness but it wasn't easy. The blood that covered the land was his, the cuts he never bothered to conceal were his, and the crimson essence which mingled with beads of perspiration were representatives of his inner turmoil and anguish.

"Melt!" Lezard cried, throwing caution to the wind as he raced forward upon the sight of his battered friend, trickles of red slowing making their way down the side of his face. Nel, Lucien and Vellion weren't far behind.

"Roger, what happened here?!" Nel demanded, watching with a hard expression on her face as Roger struggled to form a decent sentence.

"I-I-… that is- well--"

"Guys, we got company!" Lucien drew his blade and shouted over his shoulder. Nel immediately ran to his side and shoved him backwards, hard and resolute.

"Never mind, Roger, just forget it! And Lucien, now's not the time to play hero! You can't handle these things, not with your current level of experience!" No one said anything. Nel drew her daggers.

"Roger, heal Melt."

"But I--"

"For the love of Apris, Roger, just do it!"

Roger turned to stare at the motionless figure that was his best friend and grimaced. The sides of the boy's face were caked with blood and his breathing was growing shallower as every second ticked by; there wasn't much time. Roger raised his arm but did nothing more; no magical glow, no swirling lights and mysterious spectrums, only the mere action itself; nothing. The poor boy just froze there, rigid as a board and although he willed and screamed bloody murder for something, anything to happen, his body failed to process the given information, scared stiff from the sight of his friend dying before his very eyes.

"Roger!"

"What are ya waiting for, Roger?!"

"Roger, snap out of it!"

"Roger!"

"Shove over, you pathetic numskull!"

Lezard pushed Roger forcefully aside, not caring if he had aggravated any one of said boy's appendages. Melt was in a critical stage and he wasn't going to let him die, damnit, especially not if he had a say in it! He dug into his robe pocket and fished out a thin vial of purple liquid, popped the cork and shoved its contents down Melt's throat, forcing him to swallow. It was a potion he had been trying to perfect for quite some time now. It was still in the works, but now wasn't the time to worry about possible setbacks; this was an emergency.

"Wha-what did ya give him, Lezard?" Dribe whispered, noticing the potion take effect. The pained expression on Melt's face was now gone, replaced with that of peace and serenity.

"Verdurous Potion: A potion that's supposed to have a 100% healing effect on its user, but since I've yet to perfect it, it only has a 40% healing effect. Nevertheless, it should be good enough to aid in Melt's healing process."

"Will he be ok?" Vellion asked, fearing the worst. Lezard lowered his gaze, brushing aside the deep chocolate bangs which shielded Melt's eyes. He sighed heavily.

"I hope so, Vellion. I hope so…"

Roger couldn't bear the sight much longer and willed himself to look away. He bit his lip, drawing blood.

What was this feeling? He felt so useless, so implausibly pathetic; where had he been when Melt needed him most? Oh right, standing there like an idiot, watching him die slowly. It was his chance to prove himself, to show Nel and the others the real man he was, prove to them that he was as capable as the others, but he was wrong. He proved nothing; he saw nothing, nothing in himself that was worth complimenting. He blew his chance; he forfeited that trust, and crushed his chances of ever being recognized as something more than a loud show-off, and possibly signed the declaration of shattered friendship with the first ever person who liked him for who he was.

Nel stood guard before the crouched children, getting into a defensive stance as she called forth their attention. The enemy was closing in; she had to deal with this problem before they all died here in this damned cave.

"Lucien!"

"Yes, m'am?"

"You go on first and clear a path for the rest; get Dribe to help you. Lezard and Vellion?"

"Right here, m'am."

"Take Melt and follow a little ways behind Lucien and Dribe. You best get Melt to a doctor quick! Roger, you bring up the rear."

"But--" His protest fell on deaf ears when Nel did nothing but lunge at the Dark Hunters, calling out her "Shock Wave" attack as she battled them with the grace and dexterity that would make any fighter jealous.

"That was an order, boy, not a suggestion."

Nel's words stung, penetrating his already numb heart to the very core. She had never called him 'boy' before, much less talked down to him, and that realization hurt, hurt him more than any insults Lucien or Lezard could ever come up with. Nel had said she trusted him, saw more in him, believed in him, but in that split second of hesitation, Roger knew that he had thrown it all away. He knew no one could ever trust him now, depend on him anymore, and the fact that Nel was included in this cold circle, only enforced deeper dejection in his heart.

With a bow, he turned his back to his brave Lieutenant and did as he was instructed: he brought up the rear end.

-0-0-0-

"How is he, Vellion?"

The stubbly boy shook his head slowly, shoulders slumped over from fatigue.

"Not too good, Lucien… Melt's condition has pretty much stabilized but he's not waking up. Lezard's still in there; said he'd be staying a little longer."

"Grr, this is all ya' fault you moron!" Lucien shouted and jabbed an accusing finger in Roger's general direction.

The youngest of the group said nothing, lowering his gaze, refusing to meet his rival in the eye. Lucien didn't have to rub it in, he was already well aware of the full impact of the situation and the fault which lay undeniably in him. It was like rubbing salt onto an open wound; it hurt, stung with an unbearable sensation. However, no matter how hard he tried, or how long he waited, the tears never came; it was like he was unable to cry, to feel the slightest bit of remorse for his friend who had walked along the lines of death but an hour ago. On the contrary, he did, but he was hurting inside, far more than he led others to believe. Instead, he permitted the outright slander; after all he did deserve it no matter how one looked at it.

Although it was apparent that Roger didn't mind this treatment of admonishment, Dribe wouldn't have it. The little fox-boy jumped to his friend's aid, inserting himself in-between the two rivals.

"Lucien, give it a rest would ya? Quit lecturing Roger; I'm sure he already feels as bad as it is. Besides, he already said he was sorry, so let's just put this matter aside--"

"What, do you have rocks for brains or something?!" Lucien interrupted harshly.

"You saw what happened back there! That idiot just stood there when he had the ability to actually change Melt's fate! So who's the bigger coward, you or him?!"

"That's not fair, Lucien! Roger probably froze from shock! That's what usually happens when someone you care about gets hurt!" Dribe defended.

"Then what would you make of my brother's actions?! You know how close those two are, but I don't see Lezard freezing from shock."

"But--" Lucien held up his hand, not wishing to hear anymore.

"Look Dribe, if you wish to continue defending the fool then be my guest, but leave me, Lezard and Vellion out of it. I have no idea what Melt feels, but if you want to remain on Roger's side, then so be it, 'cuz neither the three of us want any part of this… friendship any longer."

Lucien's proclamation seemed to have gotten Roger's attention as the young boy's head shot up to stare at him with wide, appalled eyes. Were his ears deceiving him, or did he just hear what he thought he just heard?

"Wha-what…?" Roger whispered, fearfully, confused. "Lucien… I thought we were friends."

"We were friends, but can I seriously trust someone who doesn't even trust himself? The point is, Roger, you have the power to change a person's fate, but you simply chose not to. No form of excuse can compensate for that. Besides, do you have any idea how badly Lezard was affected by all of this?! You know how much he cares for Melt!"

"Lucien…"

The older boy silenced him.

"Look Roger, I'm going to make this transparently clear to you: I won't forgive anyone who hurts my brother."

Roger felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes and allowed them to cascade down his cheeks. He didn't even bother to hide them; much less deny Lucien's words. His words had some truth in them, and he was beginning to see the outcome of Lucien's growth. Perhaps Lucien really was the better man.

"Goodbye, Roger."

With a final bid of farewell, Lucien and Vellion brushed past him, retiring to their homes for the night, leaving Roger and Dribe to figure out the sudden turn of events and where that left them. The boys' ears pricked when they picked out the sound of approaching footsteps. The sounds ceased and before them stood Nel, arms crossed and expression unreadable. She met Roger's gaze with unwavering determination and Roger couldn't help but shrink from her stare, wholly intimidated and apprehensive.

Sensing the oppressively strained atmosphere, Dribe decided to leave the two alone to sort whatever issues they had, out.

"Hey, erm, I'm gonna go check on Melt so--- see ya!"

He made a break for Melt's house.

Once Dribe was out of ear-shot, Nel turned her back to Roger and spoke, her voice even and commanding.

"Follow me, Roger; we need to talk."

Not needing to be told twice, Roger shuffled obediently after her, eyes not daring to look up and never so much as uttering a single word.

Day had steadily crept into night. Stars painted across Elysian Field's canvas, its constellations mapping out the inevitable metamorphosis, the vicissitude of being. The sounds of daytime fell gravely still, from a nauseating crawl to a stop altogether. Wherever the wind went, the coverlet of muted twilight followed, slowly slipping into night; spurred on by the gripping forces of the strange and unorthodox, an unseen and unidentifiable power manipulating the course of its chronological tide.

Something nudged at his consciousness, nagging at him that he was due for dinner back home, but strangely found himself unable to abide to his stomach's request. Furious or not, today was Nel's last time in the village and possibly in their lives and he'd much like to spend his time accompanying her last few hours here. She meant at least that much to him.

When Nel had led him back to the spot where they had conversed earlier in the afternoon, Roger could say that he wasn't in the least bit surprised. This spot was his favorite place in all Surferio, as well as Nel's. Once seated, Nel wasted no time in getting to her point.

"Roger, about what I said earlier… I apologize for my curtness."

"It's alright--"

"No, it's not," Nel interjected. She brought her knees up to her chest and sighed thoughtfully.

"I was scared, shaken by the unexpected turn of events. I never meant for you children to get hurt, especially you, Roger."

"Me?" Roger exclaimed, stunned. "Wasn't Melt the one injured badly, not me?"

"That's not what I meant, Roger, and you know it. You were affected by today's events, and unlike Melt's, your wounds won't be able to heal as easily."

She reached out to wipe away Roger's tears with tenderness akin to a mother's care.

"Am I right to say so, Roger?"

Roger asked her how she had known. Nel told him she had heard everything or the main gist of it anyway. Roger fell silent. Really, what was he supposed to say? Nel had pretty much summarized his feelings up to this point already. She wasn't disappointed in him, nor did she approve of Lucien's gang's treatment towards him, but her words did little to compensate for the despair which was slowly clouding the young one's mind. Roger still felt guilty, doubted himself, and blamed himself for the cruelties of the day's happenings.

Nel decided to approach this from a different angle.

"Roger, are you familiar with someone by the name of Albel Nox? You remind me a lot of him."

"Albel Nox? Who's that, a friend of yours?" Roger asked with wide, innocent eyes, curious. Nel made a face and shook her head vehemently.

"Hardly—He's the captain of the Black Brigade, one of Airyglyph's three military branches and the best swordsman in the country. Due to his cruelty and proficiency in one-on-one combat, he's also known as Albel the Wicked."

"And you're comparing me to _that?!_" Roger exclaimed, aghast.

"No, no, Roger, I didn't mean it like that at all!"

Nel chuckled as she inclined her head to gaze at the shimmering nighttime sky. You could see the stars more clearly in Surferio than in Aquaria. Nel shifted her gaze to smile at the young Menodix, sincere and loving as always, especially when they were meant for the children.

"I think you'd understand better once you hear that man's life story… would you care to?"

When Roger snuggled up closer against her, Nel took it as her cue to begin.

"Albel's the son of Lord Glou Nox, one of Airyglyph military's past leaders, respected and definitely someone not to be trifled with, so it came to be quite a grievance when he died by the claws of a dragon. It all began with the "Accession of the Flame" ceremony, a procession to make partnership with a dragon, as per custom in their nation."

"Unfortunately, failure held Albel in high regard that day; the dragon rejected him. Glou Nox had saved his son from death, but at the cost of his own life. As a result, Albel managed to survive, but his left arm was severely burnt, but look where he is now--- Captain of the malicious Black Brigade."

"Nel…?"

Nel smiled and patted Roger on the back. She could more or less sense his confusion.

"What I'm trying to say is, there would always be an event in a person's life that would make them stronger; to mature, to grow. Sometimes losing something important might just be the key to unlocking that door of hidden potential. So there's no point sitting here and moping about the past; you should concentrate on what you can do here and now."

She spared a glance at Melt's house, before swiftly rising to her feet. She dusted her skirt off. Roger watched her with an expression of outmost longing. He contemplated her words and smiled softly in spite of it all. Yes, he believed that Nel was right. There was no point lingering on past regrets and just move forward; time waited for no man after all.

"Well, my time's up. I best be off," Nel spoke in her usual business-like tone.

"Say goodbye to the guys for me."

Roger nodded, but just when the red haired was about to take her leave, he remembered something, something he had been dying to say since he heard the dreadful news.

"Nel, wait!" He cried out.

"Yes?"

"You must survive; you must win this war!"

Nel offered him a mysterious smile.

"Oh, I plan to."

-0-0-0-

Roger knocked hesitantly on the door to Melt's house, scared and uncertain. He had no idea whether Melt knew about the events in the cave after he had lost consciousness, but considering that Lezard had stayed with him all this time, he wouldn't be surprised if he knew. Would Melt forgive him, defend his honor and remain his friend, if not his best friend, or filter on to Lucien's side, the side which would eventually continue to mock his existence?

Roger sighed. His head hurt from simply thinking too much.

"Come in," came Melt's quiet beckoning from within.

Roger sucked it in; it was now or never. He just wanted to get this over with. He grabbed the knob, bracing himself before pushing the wooden barrier open. A nervous smile spread itself across his lips as he refused to meet his friend in the eyes.

"Hey Melt, how's it going?"

The wolf-boy smiled gratefully at Roger's concern and slowly sat up with the aid of said boy, of course.

Roger supported Melt's back and used his other hand to fluff up the pillow against the headboard, before laying him carefully, gently against the malleable backing. He pulled the covers over and up to Melt's stomach, making sure that the boy was comfortable before seating himself comfortably on the mattress as well. Melt smiled in thanks and Roger returned it, if not a tad bit shyly.

"Good," Melt replied.

"Lezard's potion worked like a charm, although he told me to stay in bed for at least a day longer until I fully recuperate…"

Melt trailed off when he realized that his friend wasn't listening, and instead seemed to be incredibly fascinated with the fabric of his blanket, twisting and clutching the material every now and then. He frowned slightly, knowing the reason behind Roger's apparent awkwardness.

"I know all about the events which ensued within the cave, Roger."

Melt knew he hit home when he spied Roger stiffen visibly, before releasing his hold on the blanket, only to reach into his pocket to pull out a bag of Palmira flowers and some thread. He began to thread the blossoms through, never once saying anything. Melt simply let him be and continued.

"Lezard told me… and I wanted to tell you that I'm not mad."

Roger paused and regarded Melt with a look of incredulity, disbelieving.

'Is he saying this 'cuz he means it, or just for the sake of it?' Roger thought to himself, not knowing what to believe now.

"And if you're thinking that I'm saying this just because it was the polite thing to do, then you're clearly a trillion light years away. I think I can understand how you feel, Roger. I know it's not exactly easy to bear the sight of a close friend struggling for survival--"

"That's not it!" Roger yelled all of a sudden, throwing the garland carelessly on the bed.

"That's not it… That shouldn't be an excuse! I couldn't save you, I couldn't even move! I didn't just let you down, Melt, but the others too! Now, Lucien, Lezard and Vellion want nothing more to do with me thanks to my blunder!"

He slammed his fists on the cushiony mattress, sobbing bitterly.

"In just a single day, I lost not just my pride, but my friends as well, and worst still, I nearly lost you, Melt! Thankfully, Dribe's still on my side, but other than him, no one's willing. I won't even blame you if you decide that it was a total waste of time to mix with the likes of me. Melt, you're my best friend in the whole world, and I let you down."

"Roger," Melt whispered gently. He handed Roger a handkerchief, watching as he blew into it.

"Like I said, I'm not mad at you, and because we're best friends, I don't plan on leaving your side anytime soon. Aren't you forgetting you were the first person who dared to strike up a conversation with me, despite how ludicrous it was?"

Roger smiled slightly from that memory. His enthusiasm on making friends almost startled the strange wolf-boy back then when they were younger.

"In addition to that, best friends don't expect anything from each other, apart from trust. You trusted me enough to socialize with me, offer me companionship in the past, so shouldn't I trust your words too?"

Roger smiled behind the cover of the handkerchief, a new wave of tears brimming in his eyes. Melt understood, believed in him, trusted him, and that was all it mattered.

"Thanks Melt, you're the best."

Melt laughed, before indicating towards the unfinished garland of flowers on his bedspread. His face was laced with inquisitive amusement.

"Care to enlighten me on what you're doing?"

"Oh, this?" Roger rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I'm trying my hand at making the Palmira Wishing Charm! My mom taught me. They say that if you succeed in tying together a thousand flowers without breaking the thread, the moon goddess Palmira would grant your wish. I'm hoping for Nel's safe return…"

Melt smiled and shook his head.

"Nel's a grown woman, Roger. I'm sure she can take care of herself."

"Oh, I know! But that doesn't change the fact that I still wanna wish her all the best!" Roger pouted as Melt merely laughed.

"You need not fret, my friend."

"Oh yeah? And why's that?"

Melt turned to stare out the window, out at the nighttime coverlet of darkness and shimmering stars. Roger followed his gaze.

"The stars; they speak, tell of strange, eventful things yet to come."

"Really?" Roger piped in, interested, tail swishing from side to side enthusiastically.

"How so?"

"Wait and see Roger, wait and see…"

"And how'd you know all this, Melt?"

Melt's eyes twinkled with mirth, those intense golden irises swirling with perceptive wisdom.

"You can learn a great number of things from the stars, Roger; after all, the universe is a phenomenal entity. Who knows? Perhaps now is not the time to worry yet…"

-0-0-0-


	2. Mi Vida Loca

**Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (REMIX)**

**Chapter II: Mi Vida Loca**

by Cosmic Decadence

Rated PG-13 for violence, shounen ai, het

Disclaimer: Was Melt playable? Was Lezard a recruitable alchemist? Did they confess their sweet love in the end of the game? No? Then obviously, I don't own Star Ocean 3!

* * *

Fayt gazed out at the ocean and sighed wearily. Weren't vacations supposed to be _fun_? Fun, as in, everyone enjoyed themselves? So why was he out here simply to appease his childhood friend when he _could_ be inside playing video games, something he found to be extremely fun?

Oh yes, because, as Sophia put it, "Fayt Leingod, you've done nothing but play those silly things since we got here! You've stood me up three times, and I'm sick of it! Come with me _right now_ or I'll cut all the wires in the resort!"

Sadly, Fayt didn't doubt she'd do just that, consequences be damned. Therefore, he was out, sitting on the sand, while Sophia splashed around in the water. She had her unbuttoned jeans rolled up and the water was only up to her ankles, leaving him to wonder what the point of demanding time on the beach was for if she didn't intend to actually swim…or even get wet. And why did she need him here again…?

Then again, if she _did_ want to swim, all she had was last year's bikini, and she was getting a little pudgy with all the sweets she'd been gobbling down lately. Maybe it was a good thing she didn't want to swim after all.

"Hey there cutie, what'cha doing all alone?" Fayt snapped out of his thoughts to find a cute brunette girl about his age—wearing a swimsuit that actually _fit_ her—standing before him, a flirty smile on her face.

"Um, nothing…" The girl's smile widened until it was almost a leer, a particularly disturbing look on her otherwise innocent face.

"Oh really? Well, if you aren't doing anything, maybe you'd like to come up to my room for a little…drinky?" The first thing he thought was '_Drinky? What is she, three?_' The second was the realization of what she _truly_ meant.

"I, um… You see…"

"Fayt, who is _this_?" Thankful, he was saved by the very girl he'd just been mentally complaining about. He took it all back…well, _most_ of it.

Fayt shrugged, honestly not knowing who she was further than a girl trying to get in his pants. For his own safety, he didn't think he should mention that though. The girl merely looked Sophia over from head to toe, a look on her face like she'd just smelled something unpleasant.

"Oh, are you his little sister or something?" Sophia said nothing, merely looking to Fayt for the answer. _Great_, two mad females… Some vacation this was turning out to be.

"Um, yeah, something like that… This is Sophia. We've known each other since we were kids." The girl smirked and Sophia fumed. Oh, _wonderful_. What had he done wrong now? He'd only told the truth! Sophia was _just_ like a sister to him. Shouldn't she be _happy_?

"Good, then she's not your girlfriend and she can _bug off_. Now, are you coming to my room or not?" It still didn't dawn on him why Sophia was mad. It just didn't compute that she could possibly have feelings for him that were more than purely platonic. After all, this was _Sophia_! They bathed together when they were little! They still walked into each other's room half-naked!

Of course, Fayt was far more into video games than girls. It was hardly surprising that he never noticed Sophia's wild blushes when she saw him shirtless.

"Look lady, leave Fayt alone! He doesn't want to go anywhere with someone like _you_."

"Someone like _me_? Go back to your sandbox little girl, and leave the adults to their fun."

"Little girl?! You bit—"

"Hey you two, calm down."

The voice came not from Fayt—who hardly knew how to even identify the makings of a catfight, let alone break one up—but from a new person altogether. A Foxtail girl the same age as Fayt and the flirt came up to them and laid her hand on the girl's shoulder, instantly calming her, though Sophia still looked steamed.

"Come on; leave these two alone, okay? You've tried every boy and man on the beach now. It's time to pack it in for today, don't you think?" The girl nodded, reluctantly, and allowed the Foxtail girl to lead her away. The humanoid shot an apologetic look back to Fayt before turning around and walking out of sight.

Fayt watched her go the entire way. He'd never really been attracted to any of the girl's who'd come onto him, but he'd always found himself drawn to the exotic looking ears and tails on the various races of humanoids. There weren't a lot of them on Earth though. A few Felinefolk from Expel, a Featherfolkian here or there, the occasional Foxtail like that girl… He didn't care about the rest of the girl, but _oh_, there was something about those ears and tails…

"Fayt? Are you looking at that fox girl? _Fayt_! Oooh, you make me so angry sometimes!"

Before he could say a word, Sophia was running towards the hotel, leaving Fayt to groan wearily before springing to his feet and sprinting after her.

* * *

Playing simulator video games, if nothing else, kept Fayt in good shape and didn't leave much time for snacking, unlike a certain girl who wasn't very hard to catch up to. However, she didn't stop once he had gotten to her side, instead stomping all the way to the transport room.

"Aw, come on Sophia, why are you so mad? I went to the beach with you; I didn't go with that girl… What more do you want?" She stopped suddenly, whirling around to glare at him.

"I'm _not_ mad." Oh no, certainly not. She glared at _everyone_ with whom she was furious. "I don't know _where_ you got _that_ idea."

Fayt at least knew better than to say what he was thinking. He'd dealt with Sophia's moods from puberty until he moved off to college. Of course, she still found time to call him on the video lines and chat, leaving him an expert in "How to Calm Down Sophia 101." And he had just the thing…

"Sophia… How would you like it if I gave you Doctor Leon's book, _The Special Theory of Symbology_?" Sophia's glare melted into an almost dreamy look.

Doctor Leon D. S. Geeste was a Felpoolian man who'd lived on Expel hundreds of years ago, just when the planet was joining the Pangalactic Federation. He'd mastered Symbology by the young age of twelve, and his knowledge was still revered and taught in schools even today. …Of course, it had taken until college for him to learn that Doctor Leon had lived in the woods with his lover, an older man he'd met as a child. Fayt didn't know why they always left the juicy details out in high school. Heck, Sophia probably had never even _heard_ of Noel Chandler, let alone knew he'd shared the bed with her childhood idol.

"Really? You'll give me Doctor Leon's book?" Her wide grinned faded as she remembered something. "Wait, that's Uncle Robert's book! You can't just give me his treasure… It's a first edition, signed copy, and it's hundreds of years old!" He shook his head, giving her a cheerful grin.

"Nah, he gave it to me recently, and I want you to have it. I even begged him for it, just so I could give it to you!" It was a lie of course—his dad had given it to him, yes, but he wasn't all at interested in it. Doctor Leon's love life was the fascinating part, not Symbology. He didn't know what he'd ever do with the book anyway—except maybe use it as a fancy paperweight—so he might as well give it to her and eat off his good deed for a while.

"Fayt… I can't lie and say I don't want it, but…" She looked him straight in the eye, a determined look on her face. "Keep it until my next birthday and just make me a promise, okay?" He nodded, confused, but grateful she didn't sound mad anymore. "Promise me you'll never try to bribe my anger with presents ever again!" He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"Yes ma'am." She smiled and giggled as they walked to the transporters together, all hard feelings forgiven and forgotten.

* * *

The two childhood friends walked through the halls of the hotel, looking for something they hadn't done yet. …Well, Fayt was really just waiting for the right time to ask Sophia if she wanted to try the simulator, as he knew that was the _only_ way he'd get to play any more games that day.

"Gee, we haven't been wherever that goes to," Sophia piped up, pointing to a big set of double doors in the main hall. Nodding, to each other, they walked over, and the doors automatically swished open, allowing Sophia to head in. Fayt followed behind her and heard the door close behind him, only to almost immediately feel something grab his hand.

"Ah, my first fan! I'm so excited! What's your name, huh?" Fayt blinked and looked down, finding a young teenage girl dressed in pink holding his hand and grinning widely. She had dark, sun-kissed skin and bright blonde hair in pigtails, with golden hoop earrings, bangles, and big bells on her shoes completing the unique look. Whoever she was, she certainly must've made quite a racket when she walked.

"Um… I'm Fayt, but…" It was too late. The girl let go of his hand and swiftly spun behind him. Before he could do a thing, there was a light pressure on his back.

"To my darling Fayt, from the Fairy of Illusions, Peppita Rossetti… There, all done!" All Fayt was really aware of was that he heard a marker being capped, and there was a soft noise that sounded like a growl when the girl—Peppita was it?—said "my darling." Oh great, _now_ what was he getting himself into? "There you go, all done! My first ever autograph! Better hold onto that, it'll be worth a _ton_ when I'm famous!"

Sophia could barely contain her giggles at whatever Peppita had done to his shirt, and a quick glance over his shoulder showed why. The only thing there was a doodle that looked like it was drawn by a five-year-old and her name underneath it. He felt his eye twitch, but he dared not yell at her. She was just a kid, and besides, there were two men in the room, and one of them had growled at him. He wasn't risking it being the huge one and potentially losing a limb or two. Not that he was _scared_…he just wasn't stupid.

"Uh, thanks Peppita, I sure will… Ah… Is this…a circus?" Peppita giggled and nodded, grabbing Fayt's hand again. There was that growling again… Only this time, it sounded to him like Sophia was joining in.

"Of course silly! We're the Rossetti Troupe! …How could you not know that if you're my fan? …You _are_ my fan, right?" When he didn't say anything, she sighed sadly. "I see… Well, I thought it was kinda strange, since I haven't had my debut yet… But you should come and see it tonight, okay? Here!" She dug in her pocket and pulled out a ticket, which she shoved in Fayt's other hand, leaving no room for protest. "That'll get four people in, so you and your sister can take your parents and cheer me on, okay?" He nodded and placed it in his pocket, giving her a kind smile in return.

"Thanks Peppita, I'll make sure we're there."

Honestly, he had a secret fondness for the circus—the acrobats tended to move like characters in a video game, which was always impressive. Besides, he saw a few papers laying on a nearby table written in Velbaysian—everyone knew they put on the best shows in the galaxy.

"Hmm, I guess so…" Frankly, Sophia was getting ticked off with everyone calling her Fayt's sister, but she quietly fumed rather than make a scene in front of all these gaily dressed strangers.

"Great! It'll be _spectacular_, I promise! I'll be dancing, Ursus"—she pointed to the huge man who smiled and waved at them—"is gonna fold some dumbbells into pretzels, and Gonnella"—she pointed to the harlequin, who smiled at Peppita and then shot a glare at Fayt when she wasn't looking, giving him a pretty good idea to just who'd been growling at him before—"does the opening act. I don't know about Quantestorie or Mama… I'll have to ask Papa, the circus master. But I'm sure it'll be just great!"

Her youthful enthusiasm made him smile. She was passionate about her family and the family business; while he didn't feel the same dedication to his own family's profession, he was glad it made her happy.

"I'm sure you'll do great Peppita. I'll even clap the loudest, okay?" She giggled again, then let go of his hand to wrap her arms around his waist instead.

"Aw, thanks Fayt! You're the _greatest_! Everyone will be jealous that I have someone so cute cheering for me!"

A thick tension that Peppita seemed to miss to fill the air then, all over one tiny four letter word—_cute_. Now, Fayt wasn't into little girls, but obviously, not everyone knew that. He could almost feel that Gonnella guy's eyes drilling into his skull. He wasn't sure whether they were related, if he was just over-protective, or if _he_ was into little girls, but Fayt preferred not to find out.

"N-no problem… But look, me and Sophia need to get going, so we'll see you tonight, okay?" She nodded and reluctantly let go, looking none to pleased at letting her new and only fan out of her tiny grasp.

"I guess so…" When Peppita looked ready to come up with an excuse why she should go too, a voice Fayt and Sophia had yet to hear spoke up.

"Hey little missy, why don't the two of us go make sure the venue is all set, eh? Wouldn't want to overlook something on your big debut night, eh?" Peppita's eyes widened in shock and even a bit of admiration at the question.

"Gonnella, you actually _want_ to go do something that sounds like work? _Woooow_! Sure, let's go! See you two later!" With that, she grabbed Gonnella's hand and dragged him out the other exit, off to places unknown to Fayt. But as long as he was away from that Velbaysian clown's wrath, he didn't really care.

* * *

Sophia looked at the terminal hesitantly. She really didn't like video games, much less ones that could potentially hurt her. Nevertheless, Fayt assured her the beginner's level had no risk of pain or injury, and his face looked so pathetic…

She sighed in defeat. How could she possibly resist?

"Well, okay, but _just one_."

Fayt grinned triumphantly and led her in. He knew that after getting away from Peppita she'd do anything so long as they were alone. He might not know exactly why she kept getting angry with these girls, but at least he could see that it was indeed happening. He wasn't _completely_ socially inept… well, most of the time anyway.

"Welcome to the Battle Simulator. Please set Battle System parameters."

"All right computer, the usual for me and a long-range Symbologist for Sophia. We don't need the instructions either. Let's just start."

As the computer rattled off their characters, levels, and scenarios, Sophia froze. No instructions? But she'd never done this before! She didn't have the slightest idea what to do! Why…_why couldn't Fayt just use his brain for once?!_

"Fayt," Sophia started hesitantly, "you know, if you keep playing games like this, you'll turn into a brainless muscleman."

Apparently, her comments fell on deaf ears, because he did nothing to stop the inevitable or calm her nerves.

"Preparing to commence. This Simulation System may abort a game if it detects that player safety is at risk." Well that was goo—wait, didn't Fayt just say there was _no risk whatsoever_? That no good liar!

"I know, just start," he said impatiently, while Sophia wondered if she could attack _him_ instead of the monsters.

"Confirmed. Commencing game."

There was no time for Sophia to complain, not when three giant wasps materialized before her very eyes. She screeched and dashed away, before hurling fireballs at them from her virtual staff. She hated bugs! Especially ones with stingers! She liked cats—cute furry cats. Maybe she could trade _Fayt_ in for a cat…

While Sophia stayed back, hurling spells and not really hitting consistently, Fayt tore into the bugs as if they were made of paper. He had a weak weapon so he could show off his skill, and show off he did. The wasps didn't stand a chance against a boy whose one true love was video games…for now at least.

Within a minute, all of the monsters had disappeared. Fayt smiled confidently as the battlefield faded away, leaving them in a gray, dark room. Sophia was shaking like a leaf, but he didn't notice.

"That was fun, huh Sophia? Wanna try again?" She opened her mouth to say that no, no she most certainly did _not_, but suddenly the dark room flashed red, and a shrill siren filled the air. All thoughts of games were quickly forgotten.

"What…?"

"This is an emergency alert. All game terminals are shut down for your safety. Hyda IV is currently under attack by an unidentified spacecraft. All civilians please report to the nearest transport. All transports will be redirected to emergency evacuation terminals. I repeat: all civilians…"

Fayt and Sophia shared a terrified look before gazing at the video screen, which popped up and presented the view outside—as if showing the attack would make people hurry faster. It only managed to scare the two teenagers more, on so many different levels.

"Fayt…" Sophia whispered fearfully. The older male shot her a look that he hoped appeared comforting and cocked his head towards the exit.

"Don't worry; I'll make sure you're safe. Let's hurry though. We need to find my parents."

"Right!" she exclaimed with a nod. They ran out of the game terminal as fast as they could, past the panicking people in the lobby, and into the hall. Just as they were out, Peppita, Gonnella, and Ursus were running past.

"Fayt, Sophia, it's you! Come on, we have to hurry!" They didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

A Tetrageniot worker transported the five to the evacuation terminal, and Fayt was immediately relieved to see two familiar faces.

"Mom, Dad! You're okay!" Robert and Ryoko smiled in relief as their son and the girl they considered their niece rushed towards them.

"I'm so glad you're alright!" Ryoko cried, throwing her arms around both of them.

"Me too, Aunt Ryoko!"

As the small family reunited, Peppita watched them with sad eyes.

"I hope Papa, Mama, and Quantestorie are safe…"

Out of the corner of his eye, while his father expressed his own thanks that no one was hurt, Fayt watched Gonnella drop to his knees and envelop the petite girl in a hug, which she immediately returned.

"I'm sure they're fine, eh? We'll see them as soon as we're on the transport ship, you'll see."

Peppita smiled, her eyes watery, but hopeful nonetheless. It made Fayt feel bad about that crack he'd made earlier…even if it _did_ look like that man was at least ten years older than her, he obviously cared about her very much. He had no right to judge whatever their relationship might be.

The touching scene was broken as a soldier went flying down the hall, quite literally, unconscious and breath chillingly shallow.

"Dammit!" another soldier swore as two others rushed to aid the fallen man. "They're getting close… All of you keep moving forward! Hurry!" The group of seven didn't hesitate to do what they were told, until a blast hit the wall beside them, charring it and creating a gaping crater in the center.

"There they are," a strange voice called out, "get them!"

Robert and Ryoko turned to each other, identical looks of fear on their faces. The time had come…soon all would be known…sacrifices would be made.

"It's them…" Robert nodded, knowing his wife was right.

"Yes, the time has finally come." He turned to Fayt and Sophia, his face turning deathly serious.

"You two need to take your friends and get out of here as quickly as possible. Protect each other and don't worry about us. We'll be at the evacuation center soon enough. Now go."

Fayt's eyes widened at the very thought of leaving his family behind. One could only imagine his confusion. Why in the world couldn't they follow him? They could all easily make it, just as other large parties were doing. What could they _possibly_ be thinking in staying behind and risking their lives? What were they hiding from him? No, Fayt wouldn't have this, confused or not. He made a move to protest.

"But—!"

"Go!" Robert yelled, the worry more than apparent in his voice. This time, Fayt hesitated but a moment before he did as he was told, and the group of seven was back down to five.

They ran down the halls, ignoring the fiery beams above them as they headed for the transports. Whoever this enemy was, they didn't ever want to meet them, of that they were all sure. Fayt and Sophia were first, with Gonnella and Peppita in the middle, and Ursus bringing up the rear. Without warning, Sophia skidded to a stop, letting out a screech as two spider-like robots came rushing towards them. No, this wasn't good, not at all… Fayt looked around wildly, looking for something, _anything_ they could use to fight…

He spotted two metal pipes, which were good enough for now. He sprinted over and snatched them off the floor, then tossed the more fragile looking one to Sophia. He quickly turned to the others, but they'd already taken up fighting stances. Fayt didn't know why a circus troupe would have trained fighters, but he wasn't about to argue. There was no time to think about that now anyway. The robots were closing in, and the fight was on.

Fayt started by rushing towards one of them, using the pipe to flip it into the air. For being made of pure metal, it wasn't overly heavy. Once in the air, Ursus put his fists together and smacked it into the wall as if it were a mere volleyball. Gonnella and Peppita handled another one of the metallic arachnids, using their acute Velbaysian senses to move around the creature precisely, and then bashing it with a sudden burst of strength that impressed Fayt to no end. Peppita was somehow using her cape as an assault weapon, and Gonnella had nothing but his fists. Being far smaller than Ursus, it was indeed remarkable. He'd heard that the Velbaysian had extraordinary muscle power, and now he was only glad he wasn't on the other end of it.

As for the last robot…

Sophia couldn't even scream as she ran, trying not to get caught and be ripped to shreds. She didn't know how to fight! And she certainly wasn't doing any damage with the tiny pipe in her hands! Thankfully, with the other two robots gone, she instantly had four skilled fighters destroying it for her. In mere seconds, it was completely obliterated.

"T-thanks," she said shakily, clutching the pipe to her chest and trying not to tremble, though she failed quite miserably.

"It was no problem," Peppita spoke for them all, panting a bit from the overexertion of her limited physical powers, "but we need to get outta here! It's getting really hot in here…it must be an inferno further back there!"

Those words made Fayt stop cold. An inferno? Back there? Where his parents were?

"I gotta go back!" he yelled, turning on his heel and ready to run back into the blaze, not once stopping to think of the possible consequences. Sophia gasped and caught his arm just before he managed to take more than three steps.

"No Fayt, it's too dangerous! You heard Uncle Robert! We need to go on and they'll catch up!" He easily ripped his arm from her grip, but another stronger one immediately took its place.

"Don't let him go Ursus," Peppita said sternly as Fayt struggled against the strongman, trying his best to break away and find the two who he cared more than his own life for.

"Yes lil' lady," the towering man said obediently, further assuring Fayt would come along by throwing the teen over his shoulder as if he was nothing but a sack of potatoes. Fayt never once stopped struggling as they started back towards the transporters, fighting back frustrated tears that his parents could be dead, and there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

"Welcome to Iruba Shelter #5, the emergency evacuation shelter beneath Hyda IV. We ask you please to wait patiently until the rescue ship arrives. Until then, you may walk freely, barring a few restricted areas." The ship personnel turned to the three circus performers, recognizing their attire. "The Rossetti Troupe is located in room 509. Anyone not associated with them will be in room 506. Please try to relax…the rescue ships should arrive shortly."

The party of five murmured their thanks and moved into the hall, the automatic doors swishing open and then closing behind them. Fayt said nothing as they passed room 509, but Sophia stopped and frowned at him.

"Fayt… Don't you want to make sure they're all right? Uncle Robert and Aunt Ryoko must have taken another transport anyway. I'm sure we'll see them on the rescue ship."

Fayt shrugged, but followed the others in, regardless. He missed the guilty look on Peppita's face, as well as the very displeased one on Gonnella's.

Inside the room stood a short man with Peppita's complexion, a tall beautiful blonde woman, and a lithe brunet man. They all smiled with relief to see the rest of their troupe and family. Peppita ran to the short man and the woman and threw her arms around them.

"Mama, Papa, you're safe! I was so worried!" Fayt tried not to frown, but he just couldn't help it. Sure, it was great that Peppita's family was safe, but what about _him_? What about _his_ family?

If she hadn't stopped him…_if she hadn't stopped him_… He couldn't even bring himself to think of the full list of what possible fates could have befallen his family. Were they all right? Had they made it out alive? Had they been captured? Or had they suffered the wrath of those treacherous lasers from unknown entities and were now laying cold, dead, and broken in a bloody pool? The possibilities were endless, and he didn't like many of them.

"Peppita, who are your friends?" the leader of the troupe members asked. The spirited girl introduced Fayt and Sophia, then Piccolotto, Dulcinea, and Quantestorie.

"Fayt…he…he got separated from his mom and dad," she finished, her gaze dropping to the floor, not even able to look at Fayt with her heavy heart.

"That's too bad," Piccolotto said with a sigh, "but I'm sure they're fine. After all, there was more than one transport." Fayt nodded, but still didn't say anything. What _was_ there to say anyway? It wasn't exactly considered proper to bother others about one's personal problems, especially if the explanation involved mentioning that one's daughter could be the reason one's parents were _dead_.

"Or maybe," Gonnella piped in, speaking to Fayt for the first time, "they could have gotten captured, eh?" Fayt jerked up, noting that while Gonnella looked innocent enough, there was a look in his eyes that very much betrayed that good-humored visage. It seemed to say, '_Don't you __**dare**__ take this out on Peppita, boy_.'

"Gonnella!" Peppita cried in horror, not giving Fayt a chance to reply. "How could you even say that?!" He shrugged nonchalantly, almost daring Fayt to say something, anything, so he could tell the younger man _exactly_ what he truly thought.

"Just trying to prepare him for all the scenarios little missy. Better that than to surprise him, eh?" Peppita clenched her fists together, shaking slightly in anger. No one in the troupe said anything—it was almost as if they knew exactly what was coming next.

"Oooh, Gonnella! You really should watch your tongue!" With that she ran from the room, not pausing as the older man called her name in shock and took off after her. Still, no one in the troupe looked surprised.

"Sorry about them," Dulcinea offered with a shake of her head. "Those two are always at it somehow or another… Anyway, I wouldn't worry. I'm sure your parents are just fine."

"And if they were captured, you can save them!" Piccolotto nodded at Ursus's words, giving the two teens a kind look.

"As a parent, I know that nothing will keep a mother or father away from their children for long. You two just keep up hope and everything will be okay."

The duo nodded, but somehow, Fayt couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something awful had happened.

* * *

Peppita sat on one of the stairwells, her knees pulled to her chest as she stared at the wall.

"He was accusing you, eh." She didn't look up as she nodded shortly.

"I know, but that was no excuse to say those things, and you know it. I'm not a little kid Gonnella. I don't need you to protect me." He said nothing at first as he sat beside her.

Hesitantly, he put an arm around her small shoulder. When she didn't move away, he pulled her a little closer.

"I know that… Kind of hard _not_ to notice, eh? But…I love you Peppita. I can't stand around while _anyone_ says those awful things about you, eh." Peppita didn't quite understand what he meant when he said '_I love you_.' Gonnella _knew_ she didn't, because she didn't question it one way or another. He wasn't sure if he was glad or not.

"I know…" Even if he was sure that she _didn't_. "Thanks Gonnella… But… Maybe he was right… Maybe it _is_ my fault…"

"No, you're wrong." Peppita gasped and turned around, breaking from Gonnella's grip.

"Fayt?!" He and Sophia stood behind them, for how long neither knew.

"Peppita… You were right to stop me. If something did happen to my parents, I couldn't have helped them then and I couldn't save them now. Making me come along was the best option, and you were very mature to make that decision. I'm sorry I was so cold to you… Forgive me?"

The young one's melancholy look immediately disappeared, and with a brilliant smile, she was on her feet and hugging him.

"Of course Fayt, I'm so happy you aren't mad!" Fayt expected another growl or glare, but all he saw over Peppita's head was a resigned-looking harlequin. If he only knew…

"Of course not. Now come on, we should get back and—"

"There you are," an unfamiliar voice cut him off as an officer came into view. "The rescue ships are here, so please head to the transport room in the center of the facility. A shuttle will take you to Remote Station #6, where the Vendeeni forces should not find anyone. Now, please stay calm and head to the transports."

The Vendeeni? None of them were expecting that. Weren't they in a war of their own with Aldian? What were they doing attacking a resort planet like Hyda IV? They didn't have time to ask questions though, as the man had already left to find any other lingering civilians.

"We didn't even get to our room," Sophia pointed out as Gonnella got to his feet and the four of them headed down the hall. "I'm glad though. They're being really fast!"

"I wonder if I can have my debut on that station…" As the girls chatted up front, the men took the rear. Gonnella looked at Fayt out of the corner of his eye, a conflicted expression on his face.

"…I don't like how much Peppita has taken to you, eh…but since you made her smile, I guess I can't complain." Fayt chuckled quietly, shaking his head with a wry smile.

"Trust me, I'm not dangerous competition. Peppita's a great girl, but… She's not my…type."

Gonnella raised an eyebrow but eventually just shrugged. Whether that meant what he _thought_ it did didn't really matter. So long as the boy wasn't interested in Peppita, he was satisfied.

Besides, they were at the transport room, and it was time for him too catch up to his little missy.

* * *

The Helre was a basic Federation transport ship, and as soon as everyone was on board, they went through gravitic warp to get as far from Vendeen's attack on Hyda IV as possible. The two groups finally spilt up, with Fayt and Sophia finding the first available computer.

"It's no use," Fayt sighed, shaking his head. "Mom and dad aren't on the ship, and the computers aren't running well enough to find them. I guess we'll have to wait until we reach the station and see if they're there."

"I'm sure they are," Sophia replied confidently. "I mean, what reason would the Vendeeni have to want them?"

"None, I'm sure…"

Except he _wasn't_ sure. Something…something was telling him there was something serious going on, but he was past feeling sorry for himself or misplacing his anger. No, if something happened, he'd just have to go fix it. And as soon as Sophia was safe and he knew what was going on, that was exactly what he was going to do.

They walked through the ship, noting all of the people they recognized. The flirty girl and her Foxtail friend were there—and luckily neither the former girl nor Sophia said anything to each other—as were a few people Fayt had seen on the beach or in the game lobby. The Rossetti Troupe was dispersed in the lower deck's hall, with Gonnella and Peppita starring out the large windows and trying to guess whether they'd like performing on various planets they soured by.

Fayt almost stopped Piccolotto and Dulcinea and asked if they knew how one of their troupe members felt about their daughter…but he decided against it. The Velbaysian man obviously cared about her far too much to ever try something that she didn't like. Instead, he and Sophia waited in the lounge for their arrival.

"I hope we get there soon…" Fayt nodded in agreement. He hated waiting at times like this, not knowing what to do and having no way to accomplish much of anything…

But as fate had it, he didn't need to wait for long.

Red lights much like the ones on Hyda IV filled the ship, and images of Vendeeni battleships appeared on the screens in the lounge. Everyone murmured and gasped—all except Fayt, who understood just by looking exactly what those ships were capable of. Without a word, he grabbed Sophia's hand and ran out of the room, ignoring her cries for an explanation. Instead, the intercom that came on gave her all she needed to know.

"This is Commander Volga, captain of this ship. The Helre is under attack by a Vendeeni battleship, and we cannot enter gravitic warp and escape at this time. Our shields cannot hold them off for long, and I'm afraid to say that I cannot transport you to Remote Station #6 as I'd hoped. Everyone, please remain calm and head for the ship's escape pods, where attendants will give you further instructions. I wish you all good luck."

During the speech, Fayt and Sophia ran through the hall, stumbling when a blast hit the ship. Fayt knew they had to hurry…they didn't have much time. The Rossetti Troupe was already gone by the time they reached the stairs and raced for the escape pods. He assumed one of them must have recognized the ships for the threat they were. He prayed they'd be safe as he pulled Sophia along. The galaxy couldn't afford to lose someone as innocent and full of life as Peppita to a senseless war.

* * *

The Rossetti Troupe was among the first people to the transport pods, already being so close to the stairs. Ursus and Gonnella had both been in wars; they knew before the announcement came on what was going to happen. Peppita had wanted to find Fayt and Sophia, but just as she wouldn't allow Fayt to turn back, neither would her family allow the same of her. She understood…but that didn't mean she liked it.

All the same, there was still a small crowd of panicked people who'd been even closer, and they were quickly separated as they were pushed by frantic men, women, and children. Gonnella managed to keep a grip on Peppita's hand the entire time, and he led them over to two empty pods.

"Gonnella, everyone's gonna be okay, right? We won't get separated once they pick up our pods, will we?" He knew he couldn't promise her anything. They'd do there best to pick up the pods, but sometimes things went wrong. Sometimes they crash-landed and the tracking equipment broke, sometimes the enemy intercepted the pods, sometimes they were simply never found… But he couldn't scare her like that.

"Of course we won't, little missy. Just stay positive, eh? Why, before you know it, we'll all be out of those pods and you'll be having your big debut."

Still, he knew there was that horrible, awful chance that something would go wrong. He might not make it, or—the gods forbid—_she_ might not make it. He didn't even want to think about what he'd do if that happened…

"Peppita…"

Before he got the chance to change his mind, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, savoring the sweet softness, just in case that miniscule chance of disaster came true. He knew that it probably wouldn't, and he'd have a lot to explain if it didn't…but he was willing to risk it. He didn't want to live with the regret that she never knew just how much he truly loved her.

Just as quickly as it started, he pulled back and pushed her into the escape pod, not giving her an opportunity to say anything.

"Don't die on me, eh?" he whispered as her pod made the whirling sound that meant it was launching. With one last prayer to every god he'd heard of for her safety, he climbed in his own pod and launched into the unknown.

* * *

Fayt and Sophia reached the pods as quickly as their legs would carry them. There were still plenty left, but when Fayt tried to push Sophia in one, she grabbed his arm, a desperate look in her eyes.

"Fayt, I'm scared. What if—"

"No '_what ifs_'," he said firmly, gently prying her hand from his arm.

"Everything will be okay, you'll see. A Federation ship will pick up our pods, and I'll see you and my parents on Remote Station #6 in no time. Now hurry." She bit her lip, but nodded hesitantly.

"O-okay. But hurry after me, alright?"

Fayt smiled kindly in spite of the current situation. He patted Sophia's shoulder, before squeezing it in assurance. The small action seemed to have a calming effect on the frightened girl's nerves, at least to an extent, as she offered him a tiny smile in return.

"Of course, now go."

"Right… See you on the other side, Fayt."

As soon as the door shut behind her, Fayt got into the pod next to hers and quickly sat down.

He took a few deep, reassuring breaths. This was it…

Ten seconds later, the pod launched.

Fifty-two seconds after that, the Helre exploded.

* * *

The distress signal was operational. Fayt had already passed a planet that he could have landed on, but he had declined. There were supposed to be ships looking for him after all… And besides, the planet's level of technology was extremely underdeveloped. The UP3 honestly didn't bother him, though the computer asked after every planet they passed if he wanted to hear about it. Like the Federation would jail him because he ended up on an underdeveloped planet against his will, _sure_…

It was four days in that tiny pod, worrying about Sophia and his parents, when the computer finally spoke about something more than an underdeveloped planet.

"Ship detected. Requesting permission to pick up escape pod." Fayt perked up at that. A ship? _Finally_!

"What ship is it?" The computer was silent for a moment, requesting information from the ship in question.

"Klausian trade ship—the Eagle."

"Klausian…? But they don't belong to the Federation…" He thought back to all he knew about the race.

The Klausians were very similar to Earthlings, but their physical strength was much more powerful. He couldn't recall them being hostile towards the Federation planets… Perhaps they'd still take him to Remote Station #6? If not, surely they'd bring him to a developed planet where he could call for help; maybe even help to find his parents themselves. He nodded his head resolutely—it was decided.

"Computer, give the ship clearance."

"Understood. Initiating transport."

Within a few minutes, Fayt could feel the pull of the ship picking up his pod. The screen to the outside showed that it was a very small ship, though it looked pretty fast. He just hoped that whoever was on it was friendly…

* * *

Fayt opened the pod door, only to come face-to-face with a very tall blond man smiling down at him. He certainly didn't look dangerous… Somehow, he felt much better about the situation.

"Howdy! Name's Cliff Fittir. Nice to meet ya Fayt." He blinked at the greeting. Wait, _what_?

"How did you know—?"

"Your name?" Cliff interrupted, not seeming at all concerned by the looks Fayt was giving him. "I've been looking to abduct you actually. I'm with Quark, and our leader has wanted to talk to you for a while. My partner and I went looking for you at Hyda, but then those Vendeeni showed up… We've been tracking you down ever sense. You sure don't make yourself easy to find!"

If Fayt had been a bit confused before, he was downright bewildered now. What sort of greeting was that? This towering hunk of blond muscle had out-and-out announced his intention of abducting him, and he, the apparent victim, was supposed to readily agree with this ludicrous proposal? This was insane, not to mention horridly absurd on so many levels. However, he realized that in order to obtain any more information discretely, one had to pretend to know far more of the situation than one truly did. In other words, he had little choice but to play along.

"It's not like it was my fault they showed up…" He missed the brief flash of emotion in Cliff's eyes at that. "And isn't Quark an anti-Federation organization? What do you want with me? …Wait, no… You know what? No matter what you all need me for, just forget it. I want no part in any of your crazy schemes. All I want is to get to Remote Station #6 and I want you to take me there; no abducting, no meeting up with Quark leaders—none of that. I just want to be with my family, all right?"

As Fayt rambled on, he was beginning to think that maybe he should have just gone for Vanguard III in the first place. The man called Cliff simply laughed at the suspicious looks he was given. This whole situation, picking up a blue-haired Earthling out of an escape pod, was just too nostalgic to trouble him.

"Hey, don't freak out kid. We rescued you didn't we? Look, you really don't have much choice. Your mom made it to Remote Station #6, but your dad was captured by the Vendeen on Hyda. If you wanna see him again, you're gonna need our help getting to him. So just sit tight, okay?"

Suddenly, all of Fayt's old bad feelings crashed down upon him. He _knew_—he knew something was going on back then! And this Quark leader must know what. Cliff was right; if he wanted to know the truth, he'd have to cooperate. He didn't like this though, not one bit. The whole ordeal seemed rather fishy, not to mention completely farfetched, but what choice did he have but to believe? This was the only lead he had right now and stranger or not, Fayt knew that he was going to need to put up with his newfound company for quite a while… Or at least until this ship landed and he could take it from there. He finally sighed, his shoulders slumping in resignation.

"…Alright. I don't have a choice anyway. But have you heard anything about a girl named Sophia Esteed? She was with us on Hyda IV." Cliff shook his head, causing Fayt to sigh again. Well, surely she'd made it to the station…right?

"Hey, quit moping around. Come on, let's get you acquainted with my partner…"

For the umpteenth time, he thought wearily, '_What choice do I have…?_'

* * *

Cliff's partner was a beautiful blonde Klausian woman named Mirage Koas who was piloting the ship. If nothing else, it was fairly amusing seeing her getting the best of this huge, muscular man. Somehow, it reminded Fayt of his relationship with Sophia…well, except that Mirage was a whole lot more mature and beautiful, not to mention possessing a much more soothing and tunable voice. And he was pretty sure Mirage could whip him in a fight in about two point seven seconds flat.

"Honestly Cliff, stop trying to scare the boy. You know you can't pick up a house anymore than you can beat me in a fight."

"Hey now, I'll have you know—"

"Hold that thought," she interrupted, running her fingers over the ship's controls. Mirage frowned, clearly disturbed by something.

"Hmm… There are two Vendeeni ships on our tail. We'll need to enter gravitic wrap if we want to escape."

"Argh, figures," Cliff sighed, glancing back at Fayt, knowing what the boy didn't.

He knew he'd have to tell the young Earthling sooner or later, but right now, thinking about all the complexities of his mission just served to give him one hell of a universal migraine. Nope, it was definitely going to be later. He turned his attention to his partner, trying to get those unpleasant thought from his mind.

"All right, let's blow this joint."

"Roger." There was a slight increase in pressure, before Mirage frowned once again. Just looking at her and more or less grasping their current situation, Fayt, suffice to say, wasn't really liking the way things were progressing.

"This isn't good," she said as she continued to enter a string of commands into the ship's computer system anxiously. "They've got more ships waiting ahead for us. We can't out run them like this."

"Great, an ambush…" Cliff thought for a moment before calling up a map of the area on the computer. "There are a few planets around here… We'll have to wait until we can warp again and hope we get near one. Hopefully we can contact the others on one of them."

Mirage hummed in approval.

"It's risky… But I don't see any other choice. We'll just have to outmaneuver them until we can warp." She turned back to Fayt, a small smile on her face. "I hope you don't get airsick easily."

"Uh, no, not really…"

Fayt still couldn't quite grasp the current situation at hand, but what exactly could he do about it? No one would answer a single one of his questions, and most of all, he still wasn't exactly comfortable being in the presence of complete and presumably dangerous strangers.

"Good, because this probably won't be a very smooth ride. Here come the disrupter cannons."

That was Fayt's only warning as the Eagle turned on its side, narrowly escaping the beam. Oh yes, Vanguard III was definitely looking better and better… He could see it now: trees, trees, no strange "traders," carefree atmosphere, more trees, the possibility of getting stranded forever rather than perishing under the blasts from Vendeeni ships, and still more trees. Oh why, _why_ had he forfeited that tiny planet's clear hospitality before? Why couldn't he be the UP3 freak he so knew he was deep down?

"It's going to be close… We better pray the gravitic warp come back online before we reach those ships, or we're doomed."

"I'm not much for praying, but I have a hunch it'll happen just in time." Fayt felt like getting up and whacking Cliff upside the head. A _hunch_? A hunch was hardly going to save them! Calm intuition did nothing in situations like _this_!

"You and your hunches…" Mirage sighed exasperatedly, before returning her attention to the task at hand. "They're firing again. Your hunch better be right."

The Eagle closed in on the objective point, doing its best to dodge the multiple fires from the enemy ships. None of them knew what would happen, but even Cliff said a prayer for the gods he didn't believe in. It was strange just witnessing it; the man didn't look the type at all.

"…Warp engines back online. Activating gravitic warp."

Those seven words were more than enough to calm the three wildly beating hearts of the ship's passengers. It was a close call, but they were safe. After the warp, Mirage checked the Eagle's status, nodding to herself as she went along. Things must have been stable for her to look so calm again.

"Hmm… I see… We lost the ships, but we're a long way off from the rendezvous point now. Looks like we'll be keeping her waiting." Fayt could only assume '_she_' was the leader. "Oh, but _this_ isn't good…" Mirage said suddenly, trailing off with a sigh.

"What's that?" Cliff asked, already knowing that when Mirage said something wasn't good, it _really_ wasn't good. She didn't take her eyes off the screen as various statistics ran by. The blond waited, none too patiently, as she scanned the screen and he shifted restlessly.

"The warp engines overheated that second time, and now those, the conventional engines, and even the backup engines are shot. If we don't land soon, we'll crash."

The two males' eyes widened, and Fayt wondered how she could be so calm through all of this. Perhaps that was how she got her name "Mirage" in the first place. Either that or she had far more experience in such situations than what she let on. Just what was it that this Quark group really did?

"The good news is that we're in Elicoor II's gravitational field. The bad news is that it's an underdeveloped planet. We won't be able to call for help. Hopefully the leader will track us when we don't show up."

"Just great," Cliff muttered, slumping in his seat. He slammed his fist harshly on the armrest in irritation.

Damn, this wasn't how things were supposed to proceed! Cliff closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, calming his nerves. In and out, in and out… No point worrying about this, right? He'd just have to go with it and how for the best. That decided, he resolved to just let things come and go and simply take them in stride, no matter what might happen. He turned to face Mirage.

"How long until we enter the planet's orbit?" Mirage shot him a half-smile before tightening her safety belt.

"Thirty seconds. Now I suggest you both do the same." She gestured to her restraining device. "It's going to be a bumpy ride."

Fayt hadn't known her for more than a day—hell, he had hardly known her for more than an _hour_—but already he didn't need to be told that when Mirage tells you to do something, you sure as hell do it. _Fast_.

It was official—this vacation wasn't fun, lacked the whole definition of fun altogether, and was steadily progressing into a hellish, vile nightmare.

* * *

A bright blaze lit up the sky for all of Airyglyph to see as the Eagle—a strange, unknown machine to them all—plummeted to the ground, crashing into solid brick, grazing over cobblestones, and tearing them up before it screeched to a halt. No one knew what is was, but everyone was sure it was malevolent and anything bearing that particular term was bound to have hailed from Aquaria. A large crowd gathered around the strange metallic object, watching in awe as it crackled and surged with some form of fascinating power, the likes of which none of them had ever witnessed. Civilians poke and prodded it, only to withdraw in alarm when the King's army made their presence known.

Farther on, outside of the main city, a red-headed woman watched with a mixture of awe and dread. Whatever that was…Airyglyph couldn't have it. No, _no_, it would be far too dangerous in their hands. She had to get it; she had to end this war… She had to somehow get in there, get whatever it was, and still come out alive.

Yes, whatever she did, she had to live. She'd promised—and after all, it was a shameful act to break one's word.

* * *

Even further past the kingdom of Airyglyph, past the Aquarian territory, another town stood—a picturesque little village, where one boy gazed up at the sky, a dazed look on his youthful face.

"The time has come…"

* * *

_Author's notes_: taitofan here. I know I usually do before-chapter notes, but I decided to do end notes this time to match Jamarie, my uber spiffy partner in crime. This time, it was my turn to write. As you saw, we're not following the game one hundred percent exactly, but hey, if you wanted that you could just play the game, eh? I'd like to say right now that a lot of thanks goes out to my co-writer, who helped me with some rough spots in my first draft that were…lacking. With her help, it looks much better than it did before—I promise! I do hope everyone enjoyed this, and that you'll support both of us as we bring you this tale! Please drop us a line and tell us how we're doing!


	3. Frost in the Fireplace

**Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (REMIX)**

**Cosmic Decadence**

**Chapter III: Frost in the Fireplace  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sophia wouldn't have been Fayt's "sweetheart", Adray wouldn't have even existed, the Surferio kids would have been playable, and Albel's Achilles heel would've been Roger instead of an alarmingly low MP gauge. Alas, you don't see that happening much, therefore I own nothing but this piece of squashed mango.

* * *

"What's our situation, Mirage?"

The blonde female in question merely eyed her partner from the corners of her eyes, before proceeding to type furiously away at the navigation keys. With the Eagle badly scrapped as it was, it was nearly impossible to start it up again, what with over-heated engines and charred and disintegrated wires. The slightest jolts of remaining power streaked across the mother board, crackling and surging until it totally fried the entire system altogether, leaving the ship's three occupants more or less stranded.

Mirage recoiled from the keys and sighed, shaking her head. She didn't even need to dignify Cliff's previous question with a response. In all typical Cliff-fashion, the male slammed his fist onto his armrest and produced nothing more than a gruff "Damnit!"

In his seat, Fayt shifted in apprehension, feeling more than watching the tension gradually begin to unfold. Obviously, "abducting" him hadn't exactly been a walk in the park for the two Klausians, and now faced with technical difficulties, Fayt was more or less certain that his life wasn't going to be smooth sailing from here onwards. He sighed, disheartened. Never had he ever bargained for such an out-of-the-world experience, literally speaking.

'Auevoir battle simulator, Sayonara College Vacation getaway, Adieu potential babe watching…' Fayt thought to himself, sighing yet again.

This reeked on so many levels.

"What are we going to do now?"

Cliff shrugged, his casual demeanor still miraculously intact. Fayt was beginning to wonder what exactly did Quark, the renowned anti-Federation Organization, specialized in. He wondered if they actually killed people in their free time; then again, he was probably thinking too much.

"Not sure. All I can say is that we should go out and access our situation first. The computer system's pretty fried, so apart from the fact that this is an under-developed planet akin to 17th century Earth, that the air's breathable, and we accidentally crash-landed in the middle of one of the continent's royal cities, I know nothing."

"That's insane!" Fayt exclaimed, frowning at the idea.

"We can't make contact with the inhabitants of an under-developed planet! That's clear-cut violation of the UP3, not that I'm particularly fond of it, but I feel that certain boundaries shouldn't be crossed!"

Cliff gave him an incredulous stare, before shaking his head from the irony of it all.

"Man, what a square! Look, I hate to break it to ya but we've kinda _made_ contact-- rather forcefully for that matter."

"Yeah, but still…" Fayt was still hesitant, that much was certain. But what did you expect from a mere boy of 19 who had been involved from invasion, to abduction, to unintentional detouring, and all within less than a day too.

The blonde Klausian must have more or less sensed the boy's discomfort, so he reached out to place a gauntlet-clad hand on Fayt's shoulder; a sign of reassurance. Cliff offered him an encouraging smile.

"Hey, don't sweat it, kid. I say it's better than just sitting around here."

Fayt hummed and turned to regard Cliff, expression thoughtful.

"What do you think they'd do once we're outside?" Cliff shrugged.

"Probably take us prisoner I guess."

"You say it as though you don't really care!"

"Look, you got any better ideas?" He countered, crossing his arms. Fayt remained silent, obviously not accepting defeat in this verbal debate, but at a loss of words. He hated to admit it, but Cliff had a point.

"'Atta boy," Cliff grinned, figuring that the boy had more or less come to his senses.

"Anyway, I have a hunch that they won't kill us just yet."

"Oh, we know all about those…" Fayt muttered, rolling his eyes. Cliff either didn't hear him or chose to ignore that comment altogether.

"Then it's settled; only you and I will go out. Mirage would stay here and wait for any further instructions from our leader. With the both of us out, no one would suspect that another one's still inside, and this would also lower the risk of them busting in and further tampering with the equipment."

He turned to address Mirage who was still doing all she could to fix the Eagle's interior.

"Mirage?"

"Yes, Cliff?" She stood, smiling sweetly at him.

"Stay here for a while and leave under the cover of darkness. Go hide someplace safe and try to contact the Diplo." Mirage nodded, her smile slowly turning into a cheeky smirk.

"Need me to come rescue you?"

"Nah, that'd be too much of a hassle. I can hold my own ground, no sweat."

"Roger."

Fayt shook his head, dubious. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Did Cliff actually expect Mirage, a woman, to fend for herself in such a tough spot? So what if she managed to escape? The soldiers would be all over her once spotted and it wasn't exactly difficult to spy someone emerging from such a heavily guarded object.

"Mirage? All alone? Cliff, I—"

"You're forgetting, she's a Klausian," said Cliff, chuckling. "Besides, I pity the guard who'd dare go up against her."

The blonde made a move for the ship's exit, gesturing towards the metallic barrier.

"Well, time to go! Ya ready, kid?"

Fayt nodded his head, affirmative. This sounded like a solid plan so far. The only problem lay in the fact that they'd have to find a way to escape on their own, but hopefully Cliff's trust in Mirage's abilities to get help wouldn't be for waste.

"Yeah, let's go."

**-0-0-0-**

"We have no idea what that metal contraption is, but our soldiers believe it to be a new Aquarian weapon," said Arzei as he regarded his three captains, all of whom were silent, contemplating and quietly accessing the situation.

Airyglyph's ruler turned to his most trusted adviser and captain of the Storm Brigade, clearly wishing to hear a possible explanation from the old one, even if it happened to be wholly theoretically-based.

"What say you, Woltar?"

The man in question hummed, before folding his hands across the table's surface. Snowy-white brows seasoned with age arched into a frown, as its owner did his best to analyze as well as organize his points of elucidation. The man called Woltar looked up to meet his king's line of vision. He cleared his throat.

"It would appear so, your majesty, however my soldiers have recently reported that two individuals were found inside that strange mechanism. Judging by the way they dressed, it'll be safe to assume that they're not from this country or Aquaria for that matter."

Arzei's eyebrows quirked in fascination.

"There were people inside that device?"

"Correct," Woltar nodded, "However, their technology baffles me. Never in all my years of study, have I come across such an astounding weapon. I'm not too certain if those two strangers are of Aquarian blood or not…"

Across from him, Duke Vox snorted in discontent, clearly dissatisfied by his fellow operative's poor excuse of an explanation. Woltar's words lacked the conviction and malice he expected said man to uphold. Furthermore, he had said that those two newcomers were not from Aquaria? Preposterous! The war between Airyglyph and Aquaria had escalated to the point of unconditional brutal force; he believed he'd know an attempted enemy invasion when he saw one.

"Nonsense," Vox interrupted, "That flying contraption came from the direction of Aquaria's royal city, and who's to say that they're not Aquarian spies? Humph, whatever the circumstances may be, the two men are now our prisoners and are being interrogated as we speak. They'd lend us their knowledge and services whether they like it or not. We'd beat them until they squeal."

Woltar frowned, a displeasured expression crossing his features.

"The inquisitor… That man seems to enjoy his job a bit too much."

"You've grown soft, Woltar. I expected more from you." Vox turned to face Arzei, his voice heightened with steadfast conviction.

"Your majesty, it seems that only I am capable of serving you to my full abilities. I will bring glory to this kingdom. I will bring glory to Airyglyph!"

As this heated discussion progressed and reached its peak, only one of the four members opted to remain deathly silent throughout. Albel Nox, captain of the Black Brigade, distanced himself from their current topic of debate, preferring to contemplate on far more important issues at hand. Personally, he had no such opinion regarding the war raging between his country and Aquaria, or for the well-fare of his own people for that matter. He cared not if these fools lost themselves to the senselessness of war-torn violence, nor did he bother about the sudden appearance of the two new "Aquarian spies". Admittedly, he was rather curious; who wouldn't be? But being curious never meant that he should have the capacity to care.

Occasionally, he would spare seething glances of utmost hatred towards Vox when said man wasn't looking. Sure, Duke Vox was a respected figure, authoritative and formidable throughout the lands, but so was his father. Albel lowered his gaze to glare resentfully at the layers of metal which fully encased his left arm, the light catching off from his gauntlet whenever he angled it appropriately.

Indeed, his father had been superb, and better than anything that this war-monger could ever live up to be; than what he could ever become.

Vox cared naught for the well-being of his people or for his subordinates for that matter –not that he could say he was anything different- but merely for the purpose of recognition. All in all, Albel felt that this war, this entire conquest itself, was ultimately pointless. Vox was only pushing for all-out dominance in show of his power-- despicable worm.

"What are your views on this matter, Albel? I'd like to hear from you."

Albel's gaze shifted, contemplating, before gazing at his audience through narrowed eyes. His patience was wearing thin, especially towards the old man Woltar. The Storm Brigade captain may be his guardian, yes, but he could be especially aggravating and Albel had no tolerance for such shriveled up worms. He smirked as he rested his elbows on the table, propping up his chin as he did so.

"If they're the enemy, we kill them. If not, we dispose of them. Simple."

Woltar sighed and shook his head. It seemed that the boy had yet to change, constantly lingering in the fog of hatred and spite. At times he wondered what life would be like if Glou Nox was still around… Probably a whole lot more peaceful and a little less traumatizing.

"If only things were as simple as you say…"

'Oh, but they are, old man…' Albel spat mentally.

The male rose from his position and without so much as a bow or a dismissal of respect, left the royal conference chambers, slamming the large mahogany doors loudly behind him. No way in hell would he waste his time lingering with such pathetic excuses of sophisticatedly-challenged life forms. Besides, discussing political issues had never been his forte, mainly because the entire matter was rather dull and bothersome, not to mention the evident fact that he paled in comparison to the wisdom of old men. Albel sighed. Perhaps being the youngest captain of one of Airyglyph's military units had its drawbacks: God forbid if he began to sound like Woltar-- old, slow, senile and wrinkly like a potato.

Albel shook his head at that last thought, smirking ever so slightly to himself as he continued his journey down the halls and up a flight of stairs. He allowed his feet to lead him back to his sleeping quarters, already so accustomed to the twists and turns that the castle had to offer. As he took long and quick strides past the dungeons, the Black Brigade captain could hear the distant slashing of rough leather against flesh. The inquisitor's sadistic laughter as well as his victim's pained gasps pervaded the air, yet Albel walked on, those torturous sounds falling on deaf ears. He scaled yet another flight of stairs.

Like his previous words hinted: he had no concern towards the pains and cries of humanity. Besides, if those two captives happened to be real spies, then all the more they should suffer.

He distinctively recalled apprehending an Aquarian spy who had been lurking outside the city, just this morning. He thought he'd amuse himself by witnessing the interrogation, however he had been rather disappointed by the results. As expected, the spy revealed no such information regarding Aquaria's progression into war, but for some strange hidden agenda, she had muttered about the recent disappearances of two humanoid children. Those had been her dying words.

Even now, nestled comfortably in his quarters and downing saucer after saucer of warm sake, Albel had yet to comprehend the peculiarity of that spy's report. Why would an Aquarian spy be relaying information about missing children in Airyglyph? It wasn't like he didn't figure out that there was another Crimson Blade assassin on the prowl, he just couldn't be bothered. Nevertheless, he was still mulling over the odd report. As the sweetly brewed alcohol burned a gratifying trail down his throat, Albel decided to brush that matter aside. No point worrying over unnecessary claptrap. He looked out the window.

Snow continued to descend steadily upon the lands of Airyglyph, icing pavements and caking window panes. As Albel exhaled, white puffs of vapor escaped the confines of his mouth. The climate was like this all year round; not even the warmth of fireplaces could compensate for the loss of body heat, nor could wrapping oneself in layers upon layers of blankets provide temporary salvation. However, the cold no longer bothered him. He had grown far too used to it already.

Part of him hoped that the prisoners wouldn't perish under the inquisitor's hands -things had started to become quite interesting upon their arrival- but a bigger part of him hoped they'd beg and grovel to be spared, only to have that wish denied soon after.

With his free hand, Albel reached for the bottle of sake, but winced in discomfort. He withdrew the appendage and glared at his gauntlet in annoyance. His arm was starting to hurt again. Albel grudgingly began to undo a few latches before gently slipping the metal off, hissing as the edges grazed over bandaged flesh. How long had it been? Eight years? Nine maybe? Well, whatever the time frame may be, he knew one thing and one thing alone-- It wasn't so much of the physical discomfort with gnawed at his being, but the twinge of guilt hammering relentlessly on his soul.

As Albel stared at the bandages wrapped around his arm, the once white bindings turning slightly yellow from lack of care, reminded him. It had been a week since he last changed them… oh how he hated to carry out this tedious process. Probably because two hands to accomplish such a task, would prove to be a whole lot more convenient.

His line of vision met charred, raw flesh as he slowly began to undo the wrapping and a flicker of emotion fleeted past his vermillion gaze. He paused in his task, overcome with a sudden wave of melancholy.

"Father, how's it like down there?" He whispered softly, almost lost.

"Is it warmer there than it is here?"

Albel downed his last bit of sake in a single gulp, before tossing the bottle across the room. The object shattered against the cold, stone walls, the impact reducing it to nothing but thousands of porcelain fragments. Albel never reacted to that. After all, it was only the weak that had feelings, possessed emotions which left them of little credibility, and because of that, he channeled his anger, his frustration and confusion into his professionalism. He had killed so many that he had lost count, terrorized the innocent until he could no longer justify his own cause, and earned a seemingly glorious reputation for all the wrong reasons.

He knew he had become a monster, dubbed as "Albel the Wicked" if he wasn't wrong, but he was in it too deep, odium burnt deep into his core. It was so hard to forgive and forget; to live and let live.

**-0-0-0-**

"Urgh… my head…" Fayt groaned, shifting slightly in his bound position as he slowly came to.

With restrained hands, he did his best to sit up properly before taking his time to examine his current confinement unit. Numerous cracks streaked across the moldy floors and moss-covered walls, those thin black lines running up and all over the ceiling as well. From some cracks, dribbles of foul-smelling liquid oozed out, running down the walls and leaving a murky brownish-green trail behind. Fayt wrinkled his nose in keen displeasure, grimacing. He was willing to bet his life supply of games that that was sewer water.

At the far end of the prison cell stood a pathetic excuse of a bed, and in corners laid the skeletons of previous convicts, one of them being much more fresh-looking compared to the rest; flies buzzed about its skull and maggots crawled out of the eye sockets. He didn't even want to _think_ what resided underneath the bed--

"Oh, you're awake."

Fayt slowly turned to face the source of that gruff voice, only to sigh and look away soon after.

"Hey, what's with that attitude, kid? Not happy to see me?"

"You could say that," Fayt mumbled, frowning.

'So it hadn't been a dream after all… God forbid.' He thought.

Cliff merely shook his head.

"Whatever. Whether you like it or not, the two of us are gonna be stuck like this until Mirage manages to come with help." Fayt sighed once more, and whispered quietly.

"…I wonder how she is doing now and… I wonder if my dad and Sophia are alright. I hope they managed to get away safely."

Cliff approached him and sat next to the younger male, or at least after much difficulty. Like Fayt, his arms were tightly bound behind his back, and to make matters worse, his nose was starting to itch a little. He offered him a smile.

"Hey, don't worry so much, kid. You just have to believe in that woman a little bit more, she can hold her own ground. And I'm sure your dad's fine. I promise you we'd go rescue Dr. Leingod as soon as I bring you meet the leader of Quark."

"But what does your leader even want with me?! I'm just a college student from Earth!" Fayt shouted, wholly frustrated by his entire situation. He had never asked for such attention, never in his whole life had he thought that he'd be starring in something akin to one of his RPG games, yet here he was-- pissed off, confused and hungry for answers.

"Hey, take it easy kid, chill out!" said Cliff.

"I already told you that all would be revealed once you meet our leader, so there's no need rushing things! Besides, I don't even know the details myself! I'm just the guy that's supposed to capture you and that's about it!" His expression softened however, once he caught sight of the dejected look from his charge. He lowered his tone.

"Look, I'm sorry kid, but I'm just as clueless as you. And whatever information I have right now might not even be of use to you anyway."

"It's not that, it's just…" Fayt lowered his gaze to stare at the ground beneath his feet. A cockroach scurried past. He concentrated on it.

"It's just… I'm worried about my father."

When he figured the blonde wasn't going to say anything anymore regarding topics related to his father, Fayt decided to change the subject. Besides, the executioner had obviously enjoyed his job a little too much for his liking, so he ended up passing out from the agony of it all-- or maybe from the fact that that podgy man had the nerve to call him "kitten". That man's leather attire looked as if it was straining against the tsunami of fats it tried desperately to conceal. Fayt shuddered. Either way, apart from the words "Aquaria" or its people the "Aquarians", he hadn't learnt much.

"By the way, the executioner kept mentioning the word "Aquaria". What do you think that's all about?" He asked Cliff, who hummed in thought.

"Hm, probably the country that's at war with this one here-- Airyglyph I think. It looks like we've raised quite a ruckus with the Eagle's landing."

"You could say that again," Fayt murmured.

"So, did you manage to find out anything?"

"As a matter of fact, I did," Cliff proclaimed proudly, which managed to grab Fayt's attention.

"And…?"

"The whips on this planet hurt too."

Cliff's words crashed down on Fayt like a tombstone, as the later struggled to restrain himself from kicking his companion senseless. Instead, he opted for a snort and the rolling of eyes.

"Oh ha-ha-- very funny…"

"Argh! These restraints are pretty solid… Damn, they're too tight! I can't move at all!"

As Fayt watched him struggle, he was at a loss of what to feel; insulted that the man actually ignored his comment altogether, or the sheer horror that he was stuck with a guy that had an IQ equivalent to that of a pea.

"Erm, that's why they're called 'restraints'?"

"Save me the semantics, kid." He seemed to be glaring at something in the distance.

"And either my eyes are deceiving me, or we're just about to get our butts rescued."

"Huh?" had been Fayt's unintelligent response. He followed Cliff's gaze and nearly jumped when he saw a guard collapse onto the ground just outside their cell, only to reveal a beautiful red head in his wake.

The mysterious woman stood with a casual stance, hands on her hips and features emphasizing a sense of authority and keen fidelity. Her hair was in a bobbed style, and she wore a strange kind of get-up with a black and blue stripped scarf around her neck, knee-length boots, had a fine dagger strapped to her side, and on her thighs were strange red symbols engraved into her flesh. There was a split in the woman's skirt which went up pretty high, giving Fayt a better view; not that he was a pervert or anything of the sort, but he was more intrigued by those tattoos.

Why was it he had this feeling he'd seen them somewhere before?

"Who's she?" Fayt whispered, suspicious. For all he knew, she could pose as a significant threat, what with her ability to knock out a guard without him even noticing.

Cliff shrugged. "Friend or foe, I don't know, but if it's about escaping, I'll take my chances."

The blonde rose and approached the cell's door, and being the typical brash, impulsive and painfully direct personality, he went, "Yo. Listen, my friend and I are kinda in a tight spot here, so if you could just--" but he was cut off.

The red head did nothing to acknowledge his presence, or Fayt's for that matter, but at the same time seemed to be addressing them. It was a weird logic in that sense. She crossed her arms, body language determined.

"You have two options: Accept my conditions and live, or refuse and die here."

"And what kind of options are those?!" Fayt countered, taken aback.

"So, what exactly are your conditions?" asked Cliff. Fayt shot him a murderous look.

"We want your technology," was her simple answer.

"Our technology?" Fayt echoed. She nodded.

"That's right. Our people plan to use this technology to end this war waging between Airyglyph and Aquaria, with our side victorious of course."

"So, you're not from Airyglyph?"

"Why, no. I'm from the royal city of Aquios, the capital of the country Aquaria, just to the South of here." It was her turn to be suspicious. "I thought that would've been obvious enough upon my arrival… but no matter. The point is: would you cooperate with me?"

"Why in the world would we?" Fayt exclaimed, not in the least bit pleased.

"I want absolutely no part in this war!"

She frowned.

"So I take it you don't wish to cooperate? I can understand your reluctance to be involved but you can't possibly expect me to believe that you actually _like_ it here. I don't think you two have any particular loyalty to Airyglyph, so why not help us?"

"But--"

"Erm, could you give us a second?" She nodded and stepped back.

Cliff turned to face Fayt and brought both of them towards the far end of the cell, out of ears' reach. There they initiated their discussion.

"Look, kid," said Cliff, "We don't exactly have a lot of options, and if we're going to get rescued, it's to be by that hot chick over there, get what I mean?"

Fayt eyed Cliff, uncertain. "Well, yeah, but…."

"Kid, we're going to have to get out of here first if we're going to save your father, and meet Quark's leader. She's our ticket out of this joint!" Cliff paused in thought.

"Besides, when we do get out, we might be able to make a break for it instead of getting mixed up in their little war. You with me?"

Fayt shut his eyes, weighing his options. On one hand, he really didn't mind accepting this strange lady's assistance if it meant being free from this disgusting, foul-smelling hellhole. But on the other hand, he didn't want to be further mixed up with the matters of this planet. Sure he was one to keep deals, but he'd rather not violate the UP3, despite how much they technically "violated" already. He sighed; for once, they agreed on the same thing.

"Alright." Fayt complied, turning around to face his partner.

"'Atta boy…"

They both stood before the bars of their cell once more to regard the red head.

"Okay, we'll loan you our technology." The woman raised an eyebrow in question.

"How do I know I can trust you? You're not planning on running away, are you? Because if you are, I'd kill you."

"Hey, she heard us," whispered Fayt in surprise.

"Yeah…"

The red head smirked. "And I appreciate you calling me hot, but 'chick', I can live without."

"Scary…"

"So do we have a deal?"

They nodded.

"Alright, step away from the bars."

**-0-0-0-**

The wagon rocked from side to side as it made its way across the bumpy, snow-covered terrain. The five occupants sat within in silence, save a purple haired female at the reigns. Fayt stared down helplessly at the map spread out before him, not really studying the lands, but more of trying to absorb the situation this country as well as them, were in. For one thing, he couldn't believe how smooth a talker Cliff had been, managing to breeze his way through suspicious defenses and actually convinced their rescuer that they weren't spies or anything of the sort, but prisoners of Greeton… wherever that was.

Well, Cliff's tales weren't all lies. In fact, there were glimpses of truth in his explanation, specifically about how his father had gotten captured and that they were on a mission to save him. They had made a deal with Nel, however, Fayt was having second thoughts: was he really willing to build a weapon that would destroy countless of lives? Sure, it wasn't his business, but it will become his business when thousands would perish by his hands; the hands which crafted such a dangerous device.

Fayt looked up across from him at the quiet, yet intimidating female. She had introduced herself as Nel Zelpher, an Aquarian personnel and head of the Secret Legion of Crimson Blade Spies for her majesty herself. Judging by her physique and undeniable beauty, one wouldn't have been able to tell that this woman was capable of things far worse than make-overs or curtseys, but Fayt knew better. He had watched Nel in the battlefield when they fought off the Glyphian executioner and a few royal guards, and was more than impressed with the feats she was capable of pulling off. The fight in the dungeons had been, casually speaking, a killer. The fight in the Aqueducts however, had been an agonizing nightmare. Whoever expected that he'd be facing off with a giant lobster-crab-thing-a-ma-bob which shot lightning from its pincer-thingies? Thankfully, he'd had his experience in battle simulators (and Sophia said that those were unproductive, hah).

"Nel, I--"

"We're being followed!"

All eyes widened as the wagon's occupants turned to face the female driver up front.

"What?" Nel gasped. She had a feeling that their escape had been far too easy.

"It's the Dragon Brigade!" Farleen cried out over the wails of the raging wind. "And we can't go any faster unless we lighten the load!"

"Damn! And we were so close to Kirlsa too!" Nel cursed, fisting her hands in her attempt to compose herself.

"Nel, what should we do now?" Fayt had begun to panic. No way in hell was he going back to that awful prison, nor that creepy executioner dude.

All eyes homed in on Nel's form as said female pondered over possible options. She frowned. There was a way… but it was too risky. She'd be placing Tynave and Farleen's lives at stake, but she had no choice. It was for the good of the mission; the girls would understand.

It was decided.

"We're leaving this wagon. Now."

"But what about Tynave and Farleen?" Fayt exclaimed scandalized. "You're not just going to leave them against- against those…. Things, are you?" He indicated towards the great air dragons flying gaining towards them.

Nel sent a glare his way. She had no time for the boy's heroics.

"Tynave and Farleen can take care of themselves! They've been trained and with us out of the way, they'd be able to lose the dragons and retreat to Headquarters safely!"

"But--!"

"No 'buts', Fayt!" Cliff's gruff voice punctuated the tense atmosphere.

"Now let's get the heck outta here!"

With one forceful shove, Cliff sent Fayt hurtling out the wagon with himself and Nel not too far behind him. The trio quickly ducked behind a few bushes and shrubs, occasionally peering over them for any sign of their adversaries. A small group of soldiers mounted on air dragons swooped past at inhuman speed as they continued to give chase. The wagon picked up speed and with a final snap of the reigns, disappeared in the distance, leaving nothing but the raging wind and snow in its wake.

Once they were sure that the coast was clear, they emerged from their hiding place to regard their surroundings. The snow continued to fall about them and the temperature seemed to have dropped significantly since they left Airyglyph. Being a Klausian, Cliff seemed to be able to withstand the harsh temperatures and Nel was probably used to the climate, however Fayt wasn't. The poor boy shuddered violently and had wrapped his arms around his form in hopes to provide some form of warmth – it didn't help at all.

Nel glanced over at their youngest member, concerned. Although she constantly berated herself that she was on a mission and these men were nothing more to her than a bunch of moronic (well, maybe one of them) engineers from Greeton, her mother instincts couldn't help but kick in. Nel approached Fayt and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. She managed a wry smile.

"I'm sorry, Fayt, but could you hold on a little longer? It won't be long before we reach Kirlsa."

Too cold to even say anything, all Fayt could do was nod. That seemed to satisfy her, before she returned to her usual brisk and authoritative self.

"The town's not too far ahead. You guys better pick up the pace if you want to reach Kirlsa before nightfall. Let's go."

And with that, she left without another word, setting the pace and leading the way to possible sanctuary. Cliff rubbed the back of his neck as he trailed behind Fayt. Somehow, he didn't know whether to trust this lady or fear her. After all, that was one weird mood swing. Now, he might seem rather daft, but he knew a mask when he saw one, and this Nel person was definitely wearing one. She was worried about something; he just didn't know what.

Cliff decided to shrug it off.

A blizzard chose that opportune moment to roll in, causing the trio to curse beneath their breaths as they struggled to press on. After what seemed like forever, they made it to the town's entrance. Well, if Fayt had been feeling well, he'd have leaped and exclaimed in joy at the prospect of gratifying warmness, but he wasn't feeling well, not in the slightest.

Fayt felt rather dizzy. His head throbbed with an excruciating pain and he felt nausea creeping its way up his throat, only to push it down defiantly. His body felt strangely numb and it could've been a hallucination, but he was certain he felt himself… pulse. But that was stupid, wasn't it? Either way, he felt like his brain was on the verge of self-imploding. Pausing in his stride, he bent over and squatted on the ground, hands going to his head in his efforts to hopefully stifle the pain. He groaned in discomfort. Perhaps the trip had worn him out far more than he'd thought.

"Hey, you ok, kid? What's wrong?" Cliff leaned over, worry flooding his features. He helped the boy rise, only to have his hands smacked away.

"I'm fine!" Fayt snapped, pushing forward.

"You don't look fine," Nel observed evenly. "The trip must have worn you out."

Fayt glared at her. He hated all this unwanted attention, especially from two people who supposedly turned his life upside down.

"I said I'm fine! I'm not a baby, geez!"

Cliff and Nel both shrugged. None of them wanted to deal with a cranky, whiny boy so late into the evening. Nel opted for a change in subject, pointing at a house not too far away from them.

"We'll be staying at that inn tonight. Fayt's in no condition to proceed-"

"I said I'm fine!" She ignored him.

"We'll leave first thing in the morning, so I suggest you two get plenty of rest. I have to go visit one of my subordinates stationed in this town. You can either head to bed early or explore, it's your choice, but remember that you're still in Airyglyph territory so keep a low profile and stay out of trouble."

"Ah, don't worry so much!" Cliff said. "You can trust me, don't worry!"

Nel turned her back towards them but offered Cliff a sideways glance, sighing.

"I worry…"

The two men watched her go, before the older turned to face the more unenthusiastic one, who quirked a brow in question.

"So… What're you going to do now?"Fayt asked. Cliff shrugged.

"I think I'll turn in first. I can't possibly go waltzing around this town without drawing suspicion, can I?"

Fayt gave Cliff a once over.

"Hmm… I guess you have a point there. I think I'll go explore this place for a bit; see what information I can gather about this war."

"You go do that."

**-0-0-0-**

Fayt signed tiredly as he trudged his way through the sleepy and quiet town of Kirlsa. Apart from a few workshops, weapons and grocery stores, houses, and the grand mansion of some Airyglyph high-power which he dared not linger around too long, this town was boring. The people here were rather stale and life here was going too slowly for his liking. He did manage to find bits and pieces of the war's information, but most of them had been rather bias against Aquaria of course. Wasn't there a single objective scrap of war-tale which did not involve "the greatness of Airyglyph" or the "hailing of Lord Vox"?

He supposed not.

Fayt had decided to head back to the inn for some well-deserved rest since there was practically nothing much to do anyway. However, just when he was about to take a right turn, he paused before a miniature cemetery as he spotted a familiar red head and an unidentified female comrade.

'Nel? I wonder what she's doing here?' Fayt thought, eyes narrowing into a frown.

'Wonder what she's talking about too…'

They always said curiosity killed the cat, but Fayt was dying to know the secrets this Crimson Blade spy was keeping from him and Cliff. Also, she and her subordinate could be discussing about matters which involved him and the blonde, and he was not willing to be left in the dark.

Carefully creeping up the steps, Fayt tried his best to maintain silence so as to avoid getting spotted.

'Think invisible… think invisible… You are invisible man, Fayt… no one sees invisible man…'

He silently crept up behind a pillar and strained his ears to pick out whatever it was the two women were saying. It wasn't easy though, since both of them were conversing in such hushed whispers.

"They've got them, m'am."

"…I see. That was expected though."

"Yes, m'am."

"If that is all, then I best be-"

"Wait, Lady Nel, there is one more thing…"

"What is it?"

"One of our spies had been sent to Airyglyph to seek you out to relay an important message to you, but never returned. We believe…"

"… I see. And what was that message?"

"It's the children, m'am…well, the youngest actually."

Nel felt her heart plummet.

"He's been kid-"

"Shh!" Nel cut her subordinate off as soon as she sensed that they weren't alone.

"That will be all. Thank you for your time."

"Yes, m'am."

The Aquarian bowed and Nel took her leave, stopping next to the pillar Fayt had oh so ingeniously hid behind of. She forced on a carefree smile.

"Fayt, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question, Nel." Fayt countered solemnly.

"Nel, who was that? And what's wrong? You looked worried…"

Nel smiled and shook her head casually.

"Oh, her? She's a subordinate of mine. She's posted in Kirlsa to rely important information to me regarding Airyglyph's progress towards war. And I'm fine, Fayt. Why do you ask?"

Fayt eyed her suspiciously, but chose not let the matter drop for now. It was obvious that whatever that spy had told Nel, it got her worried. Although hard to make out, he did manage to pick out certain parts of their exchange. Mostly, it all sounded pretty shady, but the last part had confused him quite a bit. What did a bunch of children have to do with all of this? Or could he have heard that spy wrongly?

He was shaken from his musings however, when Nel cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Yes… well, if you're done talking to yourself in your mind, Fayt, I suggest we leave. It's late and we have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow if we want to get to Arias before sundown. You and Cliff would be safer there since it's Aquarian territory. At the same time, I also would like to introduce you guys to Lady Clair – Head of the Aquaria Runological Unit."

Fayt shot her a questioning look.

"Lady Clair?" Nel nodded.

"That's right. She'll fill you in detail on the situation at hand and answer all your questions."

She turned her back to Fayt and proceeded towards the inn.

"Let's go, Fayt."

"Right."

Somehow, he couldn't help but have a bad feeling about tomorrow... but then again, he was probably thinking too much.

**-0-0-0-**

* * *

_Author's note: WOW! After much delay, it's finally done! And yes, it was me, Jamarie's turn to write out this chapter and the only reason it took so long was because of my unbelievably insane examination schedule! I'm happy I finally managed to dig up some time to write this! And yes, that little twist at the end! It HINTS something! Oooh! Anyway, please read and review because that's what keeps us writing! Next up is taitofan's turn! So look forward to it!_


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